Florence News & Events May'14

PAGE 7

page 4

Court Denies Sex Game Before Kercher’s Murder

Benedetto da Maiano’s Crucifix Returns

Delivery Service 055 386 03 11 www.mrpizzafirenze.it

PAGE 22

PAGE 28

San Gimignano Hosts Elliott Erwitt

Discover the Adventure Park

www.florencenewsevents.com MAY 2014, No.7

Via Pietrapiana, 82/r Piazza Duomo, 5/r

Savonarola’s Flowers Eugenio Giani, PRESIDENT OF FLORENCE CITY COUNCIL

A New Splendor Florence Shines with Five New Rooms at the Uffizi and New Lighting for Ponte Vecchio evi fuelle Spring is here and Florence is ready to present itself in a renewed splendor. The Ponte Vecchio prepares to showcase brand new lighting in June while the Uffizi has inaugurated five new rooms this May. Visitors to the Uffizi will be amazed by never-before-seen Italian masterpieces in the newest salette gallery while late night strolls by the Ponte Vecchio will be bathed in a rich new light.

With everything in bloom, visitors begin to flock

to the city of flowers and la citta prepares some new surprises.

This May, the city will celebrate traditional Florentine craftsmanship by inviting the public into the world of Florentine artistry. As Italians begin to spend the majority of their time outdoors, Palazzo Corsini prepares its gardens to host the 20th edition of Artigianato e Palazzo, a festival dedicated to Italian craftsmanship from May 15 to 18 (see page 10). Festival-goers can enjoy traditional Tuscan food and wine while watching demonstrations by local artists.

On May 25, Florentines will elect a new Mayor and City Council to fill newly elected Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s vacant seat (see page 5).

For the first time in five years, Florentines will also have the chance to elect 15 new MEPs to the European Parliament in the elections from May 22 to 25.

An exhibition featuring American artist Jackson Pollock will be on display until July 27 in Palazzo Vecchio and the San Firenze complex, providing a fresh look at Pollock’s early career and detailing Michelangelo’s influence on the young artist.

In Florentine culture, May has always meant happiness, regeneration, and according to an Italian tradition called Calendimaggio, May has always been the period of trysts.

Popular songs were dedicated to this magic moment of flowering and rebirth, accompanied even by richly colored flowers and garlands in traditional dresses. However, the history of May flowers in the city also has a particular, gloomy meaning.

In fact, the most important festivity of this month in Florence is the recurrence of a sad memory: the public execution of a Dominican friar, Savonarola, which took place on May 23, 1498.

From his Church, San Marco, Savonarola had tried to change the Florentines’ minds, and preached to improve the morality of their customs. But he drove out the Medici and accused Pope Borgia of favoring corruption within the Church, and thus the powerful people he demonized had him hanged and his body burned.

The festivity that remembers Savonarola is meant to transform pain into resurrection. Every year, on May 23 at 10 a.m., a celebration in his memory begins in the Piazza della Signoria. A procession accompanies city authorities from the Piazza to the Ponte Vecchio, where flowers are thrown by Florentines and tourists alike into the Arno as Savonarola’s faithfuls did with his ashes.

This commemoration, known as La Fiorita (“the flowered”), is a demonstration of affection for a friar whose ashes are taken, year after year, towards a faraway ocean.

Michelangelo’s Influence on Jackson Pollock

Artigianato e Palazzo Returns May 15 to 18

Contemporary Japanese Art at Palazzo Pitti

continued on page 2

Continued on Page 10

Continued on page 12

2

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

EXHIBITIONS Florence News & Events is the monthly supplement to www.theitaliannewspaper.com Florence News & Events is distributed throughout Florence in all key reference points for the English-speaking community, including hotels and hostels, universities and language schools, libraries, tourist information points, restaurants and cafes.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: LORENZO PICCHI EDITOR: AMY GULICK GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGN: NAZ KANGAL This month's contributors: Chiara Becchetti, Ekaterina Chebotareva, Lee Foust, Evi Fuelle, Eugenio Giani, Dianne Hales, Avani Kapur, Nikita Kulikov, Alex Martello, Lara May, Dylan Nikoletopoulos, Guido Reverdito, Ivana Scatola, Rick Zullo Publisher: IAF Print: Nuova Cesat SRL Via B. Buozzi 21, 50145, Firenze Registered at the Tribunale di Firenze No. 5801, 3/11/2010

Intern With Us

Florence News & Events is currently seeking outgoing and motivated candidates for its internship program.

Interns will be exposed to all facets of weekly production, including news writing, photography, layout, advertising, public relations, circulation and graphic arts. Students currently studying art history, communications, journalism, marketing, advertising, public relations or graphic design are encouraged to apply.

Please submit resume and writing samples to: info@florencenewsevents.com

Contact Us

fnewev@gmail.com Skype: Florencenewsevents Tel: + 39 380 90 44 142

@FLORENCENEWSEVENTS

For daily news and events, exhibitions, Italian music and recipes.

Baccio Bandinelli Exhibit on Display at the Bargello Museum

The Bargello National Museum is Bandinelli painted in his early youth, hosting the first monographic exhibi- as Florence was primarily full of tion ever devoted to Florentine sculp- painters at that time. But he had diftor Baccio Bandinelli (1493-1560). Cu- ficulty mastering color, evidenced rated by Detlef Heikamp and Beatrice in his Leda and the Swan (1512). This Paolozzo Strozzi, the exhibition aims only surviving Bandinelli painting to paint a “full-figure portrait” of from the period is on loan from the Bandinelli, overshadowed by centu- Sorbonne for the exhibit. ries of tradition that favored his rivals, The same year Bandinelli turned to Michelangelo and Cellini. sculpture, as Leonardo had urged The first room of the exhibition is him to do years prior, he carved his located in the Michelangelo Room, Mercury, quickly snatched up by the where all the works regularly on dis- king of France, and now in the Louvre. play are related to Bandinelli, includ- Vasari, in a long biography devoted ing those by his masters Michelange- to Bandinelli, calls him “a very devil lo and Rustici, by his contemporaries with his wit and his tongue,” yet adJacopo Sansovino and Tribolo, and mits Bandinelli’s greatness. Although his eternal rival, Cellini. Works by his admired in the 17th and 18th centupupils Vincenzo De Rossi and Bar- ries, Bandinelli has since been ostratolomeo Ammannati are also on dis- cized by critics. play in this room, along with works

by Giambologna, his successor at the Baccio Bandinelli, Sculptor court of the Medici grand dukes. and Master (1493-1560) The exhibition examines Baccio the child prodigy in his father’s (MichelUntil July 13 angelo di Viviano, the Medici’s goldBargello Museum, smith of choice) workshop, tirelessly Via del Proconsolo, 4 copying the Classical and QuattroEvery day 8:15 a.m to 5 p. m.; cento master’s relief. His talent is closed 2nd & 4th Monday of the apparent in the vast number of drawmonth ings from his youth included in the www.unannoadarte.it/bacexhibition. ciobandinelli/eng

The Figure of Fury Exhibit Showcases Michelangelo’s Influence on Jackson Pollock An exhibition featuring American artist Jackson Pollock’s work will be held until July 27 in Florence. Pollock was an influential figure for American 20th Century painters and a leading artist in the abstract expressionist movement. Pollock is known for his unique “drip” technique and is considered the founder of action painting.

During the early years of his career, Pollock showed an interest in the works of Italian Renaissance genius Michelangelo Buonarroti. Pollock’s Sketchbooks I and II, housed at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, contain Pollock’s reproductions and sketches of Michelangelo’s most famous works. Pollock was inspired by the Italian master’s work, and the exhibition is designed to showcase both artists’ similarities and differences in artistic style and subject on occasion of the 450th anniversary of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s death in 1564.

The event will take place in two locations: Palazzo Vecchio, which was chosen because it holds Michelangelo’s Genius of Victory statue in the

Salone dei Cinquecento; and the San Firenze Complex. The majority of Pollock’s drawings and paintings will be on display at the Palazzo Vecchio location, while at the San Firenze Complex, formerly the San Firenze courthouse, the multimedia part of the exhibition will be installed, giving viewers an interactive display of the life and art of Jackson Pollock.

The Figure of Fury Until July 27 Palazzo Vecchio, Piazza Signoria exhibit €10; reduced €8 Exhibit hours 9 a.m. to midnight; Thursdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

San Firenze Complex, Piazza San Firenze exhibit €5; reduced €2 Exhibit hours 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Combined ticket available at the Palazzo Vecchio Museum Office for both exhibit locations €12; reduced €9

BREAKFAST, COFFEE & SANDWICHES

OPEN DAILY 6:30 A.M - 2 A.M. PIAZZA SANTO SPIRITO, 17/R 055 26 42 56

3

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

NEWS

Uffizi Inaugurates Five New Rooms Evi Fuelle Halls 19-23 of the Uffizi, reopened on April 28, now contain early Renaissance Italian masterpieces—a total of 44 works from different Italian regions, including 12 works chosen from the large deposit of art owned by the Uffizi Gallery, never before on display.

The rooms, known as the salette, originally housed the Medici Armory from the end of the 16th century up until 1775, and have only recently been renovated and opened to the public.

The five new rooms showcase cornerstones of Italian Renaissance painting paired with works of great importance such as Giovan Francesco Caroto’s Histories of the Childhood of Christ, up until now in storage.

Many of the works were purchased by the Italian State for the Uffizi in the late 19th and early 20th century with the intent to expand the geographic breadth of the Uffizi collection, but were not displayed.

The Sienese painting hall is the first room immediately following the Tribune, Hall 19, which houses the Madonna and Child Enthroned with Saints by Lorenzo di Pietro (“Il Vecchietta”), an important figure in the Sienese Renaissance.

In the next room, Hall 20, visitors can admire Andrea Mantegna’s Madonna of the Caves, as well as works by Giovanni Bellini and Antonello da Messina.

Moving to Hall 21, visitors are treated to masterpieces from Verona and Venice, including works by Giovan Francesco Caroto and Cima da Conegliano.

Hall 22 is dedicated to painters from Emilia Romagna. The last hall, 23, is dedicated to painters from Lombardy.

The ceilings of halls 19 and 20 were completely redone in the mid-17th century, but halls 21, 22, and 23 still contain their original designs, including scenes of battles and other armory-related themes.

The five new rooms which comprise the salette are among the first in the Uffizi to be entirely modernized, part of the museum’s ongoing Nuovo Uffizi (“New Uffizi”) project. The project began in 1998 with newly restored and repaired works of art, and aspirations for further modernization and renovation. The project aims to expand exhibition space, but includes modern additions such as a cafe, bookshop, and multimedia information center. According to the New Uffizi

Unveiling a NewlyLit Ponte Vecchio

project, renovations in the main nucleus of the museum will be ongoing, but the museum will not be closed to the public at any point during the renovations.

Upgrades which are part of the New Uffizi project and which have been installed in the five new rooms include: new air conditioning systems with Alex Martello integrated humidifiers, newly redone electrical and lighting systems, and On the evening of June 16, new lightLED technology for both direct and ing on the Ponte Vecchio will be unindirect lighting. In addition, the veiled in a grand show, which will museum has installed new security include the presence of the singer alarm systems.

Andrea Bocelli. Designed by architect With fully modernized halls and Claudio Dini, the lighting, which will never-before-seen masterpieces, the bring 80 percent energy savings, has new rooms at the Uffizi are not to be been donated by the menswear demissed. signer Stefano Ricci as an “act of love for Florence.”

The event will kick off Pitti Uomo’s Florence Hometown of Fashion celebration and will span 450 meters across the Arno. It will also feature a performance by the French theater group Ilotopie—famous for floating performing arts shows in Moscow, Dubai, Paris, and London.

June 17-20 will celebrate the 60th an-

niversary of the Florence Center for Italian Fashion, with participation from Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, Ermanno Scervino and Emilio Pucci (five labels “born” in Florence). Ricci, who is the founder of his eponymous Luxury brand and president of the Florence Center for Italian Fashion (CFMI), championed the project.

The initiative aims at bringing greater visibility to Florence fashion through exhibitions, evening parties, concerts, and projects.

Before the show on the Arno, there will be a concert at the new Opera House organized by CFMI. Andrea Bocelli will also be attending the concert. During the event, Ponte Vecchio will not be closed.

Opera del Duomo Museum Closes for Renovation May 19 The majority of Museo dell’Opera del Duomo will be closed for renovations from 19 May until fall 2015. The renovation, which may cost more than 30 million euro, is part of a project to renovate the whole Piazza del Duomo and its monuments.

The newly renovated museum will be twice the size than at present, with a projected exhibition space of 2,430 square meters. It will include a “great room” to house a model of the 14th century façade of the Duomo and 40

statues of the early 14th and 15th centuries. Opposite the new “great” room, Guicciardini and Magni & Architects plan to create a gallery on three levels, with a series of openings which overlook the Piazza del Duomo.

Facing the reconstructed facade will be the Arnolfo Laporta and North Gate of Heaven, as well as restored works such as the South Gate of the Baptistery. Restoration on the facade of the Baptistery of San Giovanni continue.

4

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

NEWS

Benedetto da Maiano’s Crucifix Honoring the Returns to the Duomo Electress Palatine

After four years of restoration work, closed. The Opera di Santa Maria del the wooden crucifix by Benedetto da Fiore purchased the crucifix in 1509 Maiano (1442-1497) has returned to from Benedetto’s son, 13 years after the main altar in Florence’s Duomo. the artist’s death. Completed by BenFor over a cenedetto before his tury and a half, death, the crucithe sculpture fix remained in was covered in the artist’s worka bronze colored shop until 1509, varnish, which when it became has now been the property of removed, makthe Cathedral. ing it possible The question of to observe the who could have work’s original commissioned aspect as created such a signifiby the artist. Removal of the old paint cant work that was then left in the revealed the anatomical perfection of artist’s workshop for several years the sculpture, which portrays Christ remains unanswered. According to still alive on the cross with eyes half- Timothy Verdon, Director of the Ca-

thedral Foundation Museum (Museo dell’Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore), The Museum of the Medici Chapels the acquisition of the crucifix could recently opened an exhibition honorhave been part of the works being ing Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici, the carried out under Brunelleschi’s last descendant of the grand-ducal dome at that time, and the death of branch of the Medici family, known the sculptor and the tumultuous time as the Electress Palatine. that followed could have delayed the Following the death of her brother, Gian Gastone, the last Medici grand positioning of the work.

Born in the village of Maiano near duke, and just a few years before her Fiesole, Benedetto trained under An- d e a t h , tonio Rossellino and became one of Anna Luthe Renaissance’s most important isa drafted a hissculptors of wood and marble. torically The restoration was entrusted to the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore and m o n u carried out at the Opificio delle Pietre m e n t a l Dure. Cardinal Giuseppe Betori un- d o c u veiled the restored crucifix during the ment entitled the Good Friday liturgy on April 18. “ Fa m i l y Pact,” which g uaranteed the protection and pre s e rprophets sculpted out of marble be- v a t i o n tween 1415 and 1436 of the for Giotto’s bell tow- M e d i c i er next to the Duo- f a m i l y mo. The sculptures heritage had been in poor in Florcondition from be- ence and ing exposed to the all of elements while po- Tuscany. sitioned in niches in The idea the city’s bell tower. for the exhibition stemmed from a The Opera di Santa project carried out in 2012 by the REM Maria del Fiore has Museums in Mannheim, Germany. been carrying out The institution, which consists of four many restorations, different locations, wanted to honor and its museum, the Electress, who lived and ruled in which houses the restored Baptistery Germany from 1691 to 1716 alongside doors, will be fully open to the public her husband Elector Palatine Johann this autumn.

Wilhelm von Pfalz Neuburg.

Donatello’s Resurrection Pulpit on Display Alex Martello As of May 1, the newly restored Pulpit of the Resurrection by Donatello will be on display in the the Basilica of San Lorenzo. Measuring 3.10 x 1.25 x 1.6 meters and comprised of bronze elements, the pulpit depicts episodes from the Gospels including the Maries at the tomb of Jesus, the descent of Christ into Limbo, the Resurrection, Pentecost, and the Martyrdom of San Lorenzo.

The work of art was fully restored thanks to Florence’s renowned restoration workshop, the Opificio delle Pietre Dure. To see the work up close visitors will have to pay only one euro; these proceeds will fund the

restoration of Donatello’s Pulpit of the Passion, which is being revived on the left side of the church. Both pieces represent some of the last creations of the great sculptor, who is buried in a crypt below the basilica.

Additionally, three of Donatello’s prophet sculptures will be viewable in the Florence Baptistery starting on May 3. The Beardless Prophet, the Pensive Prophet, and the Prophet Jeremiah were three of the six

ELEGANT DINING & PIZZERIA IN PIAZZA SANTO SPIRITO

The REM Museums collaborated with the Museum of the Medici Chapels, the Faculty of Medical Surgery of the University of Florence, the Directorates General for the Archaeological Heritage of Tuscany and for the Architectural, Landscape, Historic, Artistic and Ethno-Anthropological Heritage of the Province of Florence, and the Opificio delle Pietre Dure.

From October 8 to 22, 2012, the Elect re s s’s remains were insp e cte d along with her g rave and the item s buried with her.

In the new exhibition in Florence, the Museum of the Medici Chapels hopes to share the results of this research with the public and highlight the last years of the Electress’s life and achievements in art and politics in Florence from her brother Gian Gastone’s death in 1737 to her death in 1743. Two gold medals, two coins, and a dedicatory plaque from the grave will be publicly displayed for the first time.

BUY & SHIP TUSCAN, ITALIAN and FRENCH WINES Beneath the Enoteca Millesimi, carefully looked after and hidden away in its 17th century cellar, rest thousands of bottles of Tuscan, Italian and French wines just waiting for you to find them. Including all the classics as well as young developing wines, you can find the Enoteca Millesimi in the Santo Spirito district of Florence just cross the Santa Trinita Bridge, follow Via Maggio to its end and turn right onto Via Mazzetta, followed by your first left onto Borgo Tegolaio and look for number 33/r. You can also take the D bus in that direction from the station.

OPEN DAILY: 12-3 P.M. DINNER: 7-11 P.M.

PIAZZA SANTO SPIRITO, 8-9/R 055 28 08 30 WWW.RICCHIRISTORANTE.COM

Mon. to Fri.: 2 p.m.–8 p.m.

Sat.: 10:30 a.m.–8 p.m.

Borgo Tegolaio, 33/r (Near Santo Spirito) 055 26 54 675 Millesimisrl@tin.it

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

5

NEWS

David’s Weak Ankles Threaten Collapse Scientists fear visible cracks in the left ankle and supporting stump of Michelangelo’s David could cause the statue to collapse. David, who stands at a height of 17 feet and weighs 5.5 tonnes, could crumble if Italy were to experience an earthquake higher than five on the Richter scale.

Italy has experienced ten earthquakes in the last ten months alone, with one measuring 5.1 out of 10 on the Richter Scale. Florence itself has a recorded history of 127 minor quakes, but none have been above five on the Richter scale.

The National Research Council (CNR) and the University of Florence performed tests on 10-centimeter plaster replicas of the statue inside a centrifuge to determine whether or not a series of micro-fractures on the legs threaten the statue’s stability.

Findings by the National Research Council and the University of Florence show that successive rumblings from construction and excessive traf-

fic outside the Galleria dell’Academia could also put the statue at risk of collapse.

The cracks in the left ankle and tree stump have reappeared despite repeated plaster coverings. Scientists believe the cracks appeared due to the strain from the 469 years David stood in the Piazza della Signoria, where it leaned forward at an angle and was exposed to the elements. It was moved to the Galleria dell’Accademia in 1873.

Scientists argue that due to the re-appearing micro-fractures, it would now be better to move David to a purpose-built site outside the city center, where it would be less at-risk.

From Right: Deputy Mayor Dario Nardella, Marco Stello of Forza Italia, Mirim Amato of 5 Stelle Movement In addition to the potential risk of earthquake damage, scientists in the Nardella, the PD candidate, has lived Stello was the President of the Control past have expressed concern about Alex Martello in Florence since 1989 and has a clear Commission of the City of Florence, damage caused by the vibration of On May 25 Florentines will vote for a history in the city with an active po- and in 2011 he was elected President footsteps of the millions of visitors new mayor and a new Council on the litical background. Some of his mer- of the PDL Group Board of the City of who walk past David every year, and same day as they will vote for the Eu- its include a PhD in Public and Envi- Florence. Stello claims that his camrecommended a method of insulation ropean Parliament. ronmental Law from the University paign is not a political campaign, but as protection.

The new mayor will be filling Matteo of Florence; legal adviser in the Pro- a “love for Florence.”

Renzi’s seat, left open after he be- di government; member of the city Of the 5 Stelle Movement, Miriam came Italian Prime Minister, which council of Florence; and deputy may- Amato has lived in Florence since she makes this election a sort of referen- or to Renzi, a role in which he was re- was 18. She wants to take her camdum on the previous mayor’s past sponsible for economic development paign to the web and the streets, to performance. and sport. rally the people. prit has been given the name the Young and charismatic Renzi came In 2013, Nardella was elected to the Amato wants change, and feels that monster of Florence and still to date into Florence politics with sweeping Chamber of Deputies for the 17th Leg- the PD is out of touch with the needs has not been definitively identified. promises, but left before his term had islature and was also a member of the of Florence. Furthermore, Amato has In 2008, Preston and Spezi published ended. Now he is making new prom- Commission for Productive Activities, accused Nardella from fleeing from their non-fiction The Monster of Flor- ises on the national stage. Some in Trade and Tourism. broken promises. ence: A True Story, which recounts the city believe that if there had been On the right is Marco Stello of Forza Florence and the Tuscan region have the investigative work carried out by a referendum of sorts, it would have Italia. Stello is also an established a long history of voting on the politiboth authors, who reviewed the his- been during the Partito Democratico Florentine, born in Florence in 1971. cal left, so Florentines will not be surtory and problems the Italian justice (PD) primary for mayor.

Stello affirms that he will “never prised if Nardella wins. system encountered while trying to On March 23, Deputy Mayor Dario abandon Florence.” He has a degree Some expect it. If Nardella is victorisolve the case. An earlier book, Mag- Nardella—a trusted aid of Renzi— in Political Science, and is passionate ous, some in Florence believe there dalen Nabb’s The Monster of Florence, won the candidacy with 82.5 percent about the political path of Silvio Ber- will not be change, but at least they was released in 1996 and followed the of the vote, signaling a continuation lusconi and his Forza Italia party. will have a democratically elected story of the victims, which Nabb de- of Renzi’s policies within the party.

In 2004 Stello was elected to the City mayor, which is something that canscribed as a true investigation. That Trusted by Renzi to carry the local Committee of the party, and was not be said of the current Prime Minbook was labeled as fiction. government to the May elections, elected as a city councilor. In 2009, ister.

George Clooney to Star in “Monster of Florence” Screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie has acquired the rights to produce a film based on the novel The Monster of Florence: A True Story by Mario Spezi and Douglas Preston. George Clooney’s Smokehouse movie production company will work with McQuarrie, and Clooney himself will play the lead role in the film. Work on the film has already begun. McQuarrie was in Florence in late April to visit filming sites. Filming will begin next year.

From 1968 to 1985, sixteen people (8 couples) were murdered in and around the city of Florence. The cul-

City Elects New Mayor and Council

Y WA

EN JO Y

T

IN DIFF Y T I C ER E EN TH

Open everyday from 9a.m. - 7p.m.

BIKE RENTAL AND TOURS Open everyday from 9 a.m. - 7 p.m.

7

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

NEWS

Senator Fugitive Dell’Utri Escapes After Condemnation for Mafia Ties A close ally to former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and co-founder of his political party Forza Italia, Marcello Dell’Utri was recently caught in Lebanon after fleeing Italy on Friday April 11. He had been convicted twice of “Mafia association” and escaped just before the Supreme Court issued the final verdict. The Court of Appeal of Palermo dismissed the appeal of his arrest, thus paving the way for his extradition back to Italy.

Dell’Utri has been accused of being the party’s ambassador to the Mafia group Cosa Nostra, establishing a “pact of protection” between the Sicilian Mafia and Berlusconi. His re-arrest was ordered from Palermo on April 7, due to fears that he may flee the country before the court was to decide if his seven-year prison sentence would be upheld. These fears were realized, but his lawyers argued that the former senator was in Lebanon for medical reasons. The Italian Supreme Court will decide on May 9 if his seven-year sentence will be upheld.

Mona Lisa Lies in Florence Family Tomb

Lisa Gherardini Del Giocondo, the woman who sat for Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting, the Mona Lisa, is believed to be buried in her family’s tomb in Florence.

Silvano Vinceti, a writer and researcher who heads Italy’s National Committee for the Promotion of Historic and Cultural Heritage, has been tasked by Italy’s heritage committee to find and identify the remains of the Mona Lisa.

A high-profile excavation is currently taking place in Florence, but after successive digs and DNA analysis, Vinceti now suspects her remains to be buried in Santissima Annunziata basilica, where other family members are buried.

“We know from certified documentation that, buried in the chapel, we have the remains of her husband

Francesco...and their son Piero,” said Vinceti after the latest exhumations Tuesday.

Recent digs have led Vinceti, who has undertaken a three-year hunt for the tomb, to believe that Mona Lisa’s remains could have been moved to the Santissima Annunziata basilica after Sant’Orsola was rebuilt in 1640, a century after her death.

Forensic experts have taken DNA samples of the remains of others buried in the tomb, believed to be Mona Lisa’s family members, in order to determine whether or not they date back to the same time period as Leonardo’s famous subject.

Vinceti and his team hope to find Mona Lisa’s remains in order to digitally reconstruct what she actually looked like.

Mafia Makes More Than Deutsche Bank and McDonald’s

A study by the Demoskopika Research Institute found that last year the ‘Ndrangheta Mafia from Southern Italy made more money than Deutsche Bank and McDonald’s combined, with a turnover of €53 billion.

The institute looked at the international crime syndicate’s sources of revenue, including drug trafficking, which amounted to an estimated €24.2 billion, and illegal garbage disposal which raised €19.6 billion.

Extortion and usury brought in €2.9 billion, embezzlement €2.4 billion, and gambling €1.3 billion, while arm sales, prostitution, counterfeit goods, and human trafficking brought in less than a combined €1 billion. Ac-

cording to Interior Ministry and police documents analyzed by the study, the Mafia made the equivalent of 3.5 percent of Italy’s GDP last year.

The ‘Ndrangheta’s activities are believed to involve as many as 60,000 people worldwide, which include about 400 key operatives in 30 countries, according to the report.

More secretive and feared than the Sicilian Mafia, the ‘Ndrangheta Mafia’s roots date to 1412, when a criminal gambling association called the Garduna was created in Toledo, Spain.

Penetrating the network of hundreds of family gangs based in Calabria has been extremely difficult for authorities.

Soccer Scandals Go On Police and Football Association Accused of Negotiating Public Order with Mafia Boss Officials and police have been accused of “negotiating” with the wellknown son of a Mafioso before the kickoff of the Italian cup final, won 3-1

by Naples against Fiorentina. Just before the game, an AC Rome supporter fired three shots at Napoli fans, one of whom is now in critical condition. As tensions rose and the kick off was delayed, police officers approached the stand of Neapolitan supporters and spoke for a few minutes with the son of a Mafioso, Gennaro De Tommaso, nicknamed “Genny a’ Carogna,” the presumed head of the Neapolitan supporters. The discussants also asked the Napoli team captain Slovak Marek Hamsik to join the pitch-side

negotiations with Napoli ultras.

De Tommaso sat astride the stadium perimeter fence while negotiations continued. It was then decided, apparently by “Genny,” that the game would continue, but to withhold any flag displays by Neapolitan supporters.

“Genny” wore a t-shirt which read “Free Speziale,” in reference to Antonio Speziale, a Catania fan sentenced to eight years in prison for shooting a police officer prior to a 2007 match.

Hamsik told the Napoli fans that Fiorentina counterparts had nothing to do with the shooting, and the ultras, led by “Genny,” decided that the game could start.

Florence Court Denies Sex Game Before Kercher’s Murder Judge States the Two Women Quarrelled Over Rent On April 29 the Florence Appeals Court released an over 300-page document in which it dismissed theories that a sex game was involved in Meredith Kercher’s homicide, instead claiming that the murder resulted from a quarrel between Kercher and Amanda Knox.

The report also stated that two knives were used, one by Knox and the other by her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito. According to the report, the weapon that delivered the fatal blow to Kercher was wielded by Knox.

Ruling Judge Alessandro Nencini considered forensic testimony that the first appellate court dismissed,

including traces of mixed blood and DNA belonging to both Knox and Kercher identified in the apartment bathroom. Nencini claims that the former appellate court wrongly set Knox and Sollecito free.

The Court stated that Knox and Kercher had disagreed over the rent for the house they shared in Perugia: “There was an argument, then an elevation and progression of aggression.”

Knox responded in a CNN interview on May 1. “I am innocent of the accusation against me, and the recent motivation document does not—and cannot—change the fact of my innocence,” said Knox.

Lorenzo de’ Medici

RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA

LIVE SPORTS

Lorenzo de’ Medici Restaurant and Pizzeria is an elegant yet reasonably priced spot situated right in the heart of Florence, just a few steps away from the Medici Chapel, the church of Santa Maria Novella and San Lorenzo market, and no more than 200m from the Fortezza da Basso. It is the ideal restaurant to try traditional Florentine dishes or pizza cooked in the wood-fired oven. The perfect restaurant for tourist groups, business dinners, meetings or private dining.

GET 20% OFF WITH YOUR STUDENT DISCOUNT CARD Via del Giglio, 49 // 055 21 29 32 www.lorenzodemediciristorante.com

8

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

NEWS

‘Unlikely and Unable’ Eurosceptics Aiming to Steal Seats

Alexandre Stutzmann Talks About the Eurosceptics Evi Fuelle Alexandre Stutzmann is Chief Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the European Pa rlia ment.

Stutzmann is in charge of inter-institutional relations, liaison with key strategic partners and multilateral organisations including the UN and the Council of Europe, as well as the transatlantic relationship with the United States and EFTA countries.

Why should people not expect different Eurosceptic parties to work together once elected to the EP? “What Eurosceptic parties have in common is that they are against Europe, but that does not give them an electoral platform. They remain very diverse - they don’t have a positive agenda, they only work against something. To succeed at EU level, they need pan-European platforms, but this is something they continually lack,” said Stutzmann. However, Stutzmann admitted that the Eurosceptic parties are trying much harder in the 2014 election to work together. “Each political group within the European Parliament must have a certain number of members from a certain number of countries, and in the past, the Eurosceptics have failed to do this. However, they will be better organized and will have better chances this year,” stated Stutzmann.

Will Eurosceptic gains increase every EP election, or is this just back-

lash from the crisis?

“The mainstream political parties found some of the answers, but didn’t solve the crisis completely. [The crisis] has made it easier for outsiders, like the Eurosceptics, to argue that the mainstream political parties are useless, and that the Eurosceptics could do a better job,” said Stutzmann.

Which group will lose the most seats to Eurosceptics in the May 2014 elections?

“Some will lose more than others, but they will lose. Eurosceptics will gain ‘protest votes’ largely as a result of the most recent financial crisis,” said Stutzmann. According to Stutzmann, it is likely that the two largest parties of the center left (Socialists and Democrats) and the center right (European People’s Party) as well as the liberals (ALDE) will lose votes and seats. “The EPP might lose a little bit more, but the protest vote will cost both the EPP and the S&D parties, so they will have to stick closer together after the election,” said Stutzmann.

Why should Europeans continue to have faith in the EU? Why should they vote?

“People take the EU for granted, and Europeans are not reminded enough of the benefits of having the EU. Economically and politically, the EU allows Europe to compete with the rest of the world—I hope this campaign shows EU citizens why the EU is important.” This European Parliament election is also different from those of the past because Europeans will vote for the President of the Commission.

“What Europe needs is a continuous ‘face’ to represent EU matters, and we hope that this election will help Europeans to feel that their vote will make a difference.”

A Look Into the European Elections “Italy is a part of Europe,” said Gori.

“Even if the difference between EuCurrent members of the European ropean states is more than the differParliament prepare to battle Euro- ence between states in America, we sceptics in the upcoming elections. have to work like the United States— This time, however, Eurosceptics may we have to consider Europe.” be able to win significantly more votes In general, Eurosceptics exist on the than in the past. The election, which extreme right and the extreme left takes place from May 22-25 across all of the political spectrum, therefore of Europe, has been hotly debated Stutzmann believes that Eurosceptics regarding how much Eurosceptic par- will draw votes away from the two largest parties of the center left and ties stand to gain in votes and seats. center right, as Alexandre Stutzwell as the largmann, Chief Dip“It is easy to win an est liberal party. lomatic Advisor election by being In the European to the President Parliament, this of the European against something, but would mean that Parliament, be- once in power, it is very the three largest lieves that Eurodifficult to produce central parties, sceptics will gain results.” the Progressive “protest votes” Alliance of Soin the upcoming European Parliament elections, cialists and Democrats, the European largely as a result of the most recent People’s Party, and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats stand to lose financial crisis.

“The two main big groups will both the most votes and seats. lose votes,” Stutzmann said, “but the Stutzmann argues that a loss of votes European People’s Party might lose a for the European People’s Party and little bit more because they are the on Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats could force them to work the center right.”

Seats in the European Parliament are closer together following the elecbased on population size, and accord- tion. “The European People’s Party ing to the European Parliament offi- and the Progressive Alliance of Social website, Italy will elect 73 MEPs cialists and Democrats will have to in the 2014 European Parliament work closer together following the elections,” he said. According to the Election.

“During this campaign the Euroscep- European Parliament official website, tic parties are trying to be much more Italy currently has 34 MEPs in the Euorganized than in the past, and they ropean People’s Party, 23 MEPs in the might be more successful working to- Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, and 4 MEPs in the Alligether this time,” stated Stutzmann.

However, some Europeans are still ance of Liberals and Democrats. not persuaded by Eurosceptic argu- At the European level, Italy is broken ments. Giulio Gori, owner of Archea into five constituencies: Centrale, InBrewery and a 12-year resident of Flor- sulare, Meridionale, Nord-Occidenence, plans to vote in the upcoming tale, and Nord-Orientale. Tuscany is included in the Centrale constitelections but is far from Eurosceptic.

Evi Fuelle

uency, which will elect 15 MEPs in the May 2014 election. Gori does not believe Italians are persuaded by the Eurosceptic arguments, and is not convinced that Eurosceptic parties will gain ground in the upcoming election.

“Eurosceptic parties like Lega Nord do not represent Italy, and probably will not be represented in the next election,” stated Gori.

Stutzmann also believes that Eurosceptics would face a number of problems once elected to the European Parliament.

“What Eurosceptic parties have in common is that they are against Europe, but that does not give them an electoral platform,” stated Stutzmann. “It is easy to win an election by being against something, but once in power, it is very difficult to produce results.”

According to Stutzmann, Europeans should not expect Eurosceptics to work together at the pan-European level because they lack a pan-European political family.

“They remain very diverse, and they’re not like other mainstream political families that have a line- they don’t have a positive agenda, they only work against something” Stutzmann stated.

Eurosceptics, once elected, may not be able to form a cohesive political structure to accomplish goals set out in their political platforms, and some Europeans remain unconvinced by the Eurosceptic argument. According to Gori, “Italy is a part of Europe and if it was not, things would be much worse.” The upcoming elections will determine whether or not Eurosceptics are able to gain “protest votes,” but what remains unclear is what they will accomplish.

Since 1884

BhSalon Firenze is a refined and contemporary salon, visibily focused on the world of fashion. Located in Borgo Ognissanti near near Ponte alla Carraia and Santa Maria Novella Square.

• •

Internationally recognized creative team Student discounts

Tue. - Wed. & Sat.: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Thu.-Fri.: 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.

• • • • • •

jewelry And watch repairs Certified diamonds Jewelry and watch restorations Repairs and resizing Guaranteed watch repairs of any brand Second-hand jewelry and watches available to buy Watch-strap and batterychanging services

Short-term home rentals in the historic center

Visitaflorencia.com offers charming apartments for rent in Florence to tourists and students from around the world.

Accommodation options include holiday, studio, loft and student apartments, located just 5-10 minutes from major landmarks such as the Duomo, Ponte Vecchio, Uffizi Gallery, Accademia Gallery, Piazza della Signoria and Santa Maria Novella train station.

The apartments are the perfect base from which to explore the city, and are ideal for tourist rentals and students staying in Florence for short periods. We have the ideal home for you!

Please visit our website to view the list of apartments: www.visitaflorencia.com

Via Borgo Ognissanti, 12/r 055 2645561 firenze@bhsalon.it www.mashuphaircare.com

Via Giuseppe Verdi, 71/r 055 24 80 423 339 61 95 202 // 327 08 96 464

335 14 21 607 info@visitaflorencia.com www.visitaflorencia.com

EXPLORE TUSCANY WITH YOUR CHOICE OF RENTAL VEHICLE

Explore the most secluded corners of Tuscany via bike, scooter, car or minivan. Knowleggi allows you to move comfortably around the countryside and towns in style without the hassle of public transportation. The staff at Knowleggi will help you choose the best vehicle to navigate through labyrinthine medieval streets or plan your independent tour through scenic Tuscany. Knowleggi’s selection includes the best among BMW, Mini, Ford, Lancia, Mazda and Fiat.

Via Melegnano, 1/r 373 77 10 559 (Francesca: English-speaking contact) 055 05 17 062 www.knowleggi.it info@knowleggi.it

9

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

CULTURE

Keep That Slip of Paper!

Italian Receipt Protocol and ‘Tax Free’ Purchases Explained Rick Zullo Have you ever left an Italian coffee bar and wondered how you got all these little chits of paper in your wallet? A scontrino is basically a receipt that you get for every little purchase.

The coffee bars and shops practically force you to take one, (many bars even make you get the scontrino before you get your coffee) because they can get in a lot of trouble if they don’t give you a proper receipt. In fact, the police could (technically) ask you to show your receipt to prove that you paid for something.

Related to this is the ricevuta, which could also be translated as receipt, but generally this would be for professional services or higher priced items which may or may not be handwritten and would likely be itemized.

This is closer to what we might call an invoice, but not quite.

You should probably hang onto your little scontrino when you leave the coffee bar, just in case you’re asked to show it. Not likely, but it happens.

But perhaps more importantly you should definitely keep your ricevuta, especially if you purchase any highcost items while in Italy.

As a non-European citizen, you are entitled to a tax refund if you spend enough money in a given shop. Maybe you didn’t even realize that you paid tax, because in Italy, unlike the U.S., the tax is already incorporated into the price and is NOT typically shown on a receipt. This is known as the Value-Added Tax (VAT). In Italy the VAT is referred to as IVA, or Imposta sul Valore Aggiunto. Currently the rate is set at 22%, with a minimum purchase of €155.

There are restrictions, of course. As a

tourist, you’re not entitled to refunds on the tax applied to hotels and meals.

Still, you can get back most of the tax you paid on merchandise so long as you spend at least €155 in any given shop during one business day. You just have to bring your passport along on your shopping trip, get the necessary documents from the retailer, and then track down the right folks at the airport when you leave.

Some stores even offer to handle the process for you. If they provide this service, they will probably have some sort of “Tax Free” sticker in the window. If not, then you’ll have to get your documents stamped at customs when you leave. A customs officer will stamp your documents and may ask you to present your purchases for verification.

Once you get your form stamped by customs, it takes one more step to get your money back. If your purchases were bought from a merchant who works with a refund service such as Global Blue or Premier Tax Free, lo-

Welcoming May in the Italian Language

cate their offices inside the airport-not they delight that “per Santa Rita, ogni hard to find, just ask a gift shop em- Dianne Hales rosa è fiorita” (for St. Rita, every rose ployee.

These services take a small cut of your “Aprile con il fiore, maggio con il colore,” is blossoming). On May 26, they obrefund, but save you further hassles. Italians say. April with its flower, May serve: “Se piove per San Filippo, il povero non ha bisogno del ricco” (If Present your stamped document and with its color. they’ll likely give you cash immedi- One of my favorite months anywhere, it rains for St. Philip, the poor won’t May is a particularly special time in need the rich). Yet another weather ately.

If the retailer handles VAT refunds di- Italy. As an old saying goes, “Di mag- prediction: Quello che fa maggio, fa rectly, then you don’t have the option gio s’innamorano anche le civette.” (In settembre (what May does, September does). of using a refund service. You can May even the owls fall in love.) mail the documents back from home The month’s name derives from the Rain is the biggest preoccupation. Acor from the airport (it’s quicker and Roman goddess Maia (dalla dea ro- cording to one proverb, “una piovuta cheaper at the airport). Then you wait mana Maia), mother of Mercury, but a maggio, se è sola che vantaggio!”(a for your refund on your credit-card in Christian culture (nella cultura rainfall in May, if just one, what a statement or for a check in the mail, cristiana) maggio is dedicated to the gain!). Another cautions: “Maggio ortolano, molta paglia e poco grano” (litusually 1 to 3 months. I’ve done this Madonna, the mother of Jesus. before and it worked great—it was like Devout Catholics often will fare il erally the greengrocer’s—or a rainy— getting a Christmas present from my- mese di maggio (do the month of May) May, lots of straw and little grain). If by reciting il rosario (the rosary) every the sun shines, maggio brings ciliegie self in July.

I know it sounds like a lot trouble (and day. This consists of a series of fifty per assaggio (cherries to taste) and it sort of is), but if you spent €500, prayers called the Ave Maria (Hail well-priced produce. “Maggio solegthen you’ll be refunded €115, or about Mary), divided into five groups of ten. giato, frutta a buon mercato.” (Sunny $140-150. Now that Prada handbag Catholics keep track of the number of May, cheap fruit.) wasn’t such a bad deal after all, right? prayers with una corona del rosario (a The bottom line on this merry month: To read more visit rosary crown, more commonly called Maggio caldo ti arricchisce, freddo ti impoverisce. (A hot May makes you www.rickzullo.com. rosary beads in English).

May in Italy also is known as il mese rich; a cold one makes you poor.) delle rose e delle spose (the month of the roses and the brides). Le rose Words and Expressions (roses) blossom during May, a popular maggiolata – May song maggiolino – May bug, beetle time for le nozze (weddings).

May starts with il Primo Maggio (the maggiostrino – May or straw hat (arfirst of May) and la festa del lavoro chaic) (the equivalent of America’s Labor L’inverno a metà maggio riprende Day) and includes a host of celebra- breve ingaggio – Winter briefly takes tions, including la festa della mamma up the fight again in mid-May Dianne Hales is the author of La (Mother’s Day). But Italians never stop Bella Lingua: My Love Affair with keeping an eye on the weather (il temItalian, the World’s Most Enchanting po) during this unpredictable month.

Language and Mona Lisa: A Life On May 16, the feast of Sant’Ubaldo, Discovered. they warn: “Per Sant’Ubaldo, guarLearn more on her site: dati dal freddo e non dal caldo” (for becomingitalian.com St. Ubaldo, watch out for the cold and and her blog: becomingitalianwordnot the heat). byword.typepad.com.

On May 22, the feast of Santa Rita,

International & national shipping service Packing material Full color digital copies Fax service Storage service Free pick up at school or home Monday to Friday: 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. & 3-6 p.m.

Corso dei Tintori, 39/r | Tel.: 055 24 66 660 | Fax.: 055 24 66 067

10

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

CULTURE

Artigianato e Palazzo

“The Sigh Press” Launches First Edition

Festival of Florentine Craftsmanship Returns May 15 to 18 The garden of the historic Palazzo Corsini will host the 20th edition of Artigianato e Palazzo, a festival dedicated to Italian craftsmanship, from May 15 to 18.

The garden is located in the Florence city center on Via della Scala and offers a serene and beautiful setting for the event among its lemon trees.

Promoting local and Made in Italy works, the event focuses on handmade productions and will consist of presentations from about 80 highly skilled craftsmen, as well displays of traditional guilds and old age techniques.

Artisans will carry out demonstrations allowing the public to feel like they are in actual workshops. In some cases, audience members can even participate by assisting the artists.

Ceramics, pottery, upholstery, home decor, printing, inlaying, jewelry, and hat-making are among the many methods shared with the public, as is the art of working with materials such as bronze, iron, marble, wood, and glass.

By inviting the public into the world of Florentine art, the annual Artigianato e Palazzo has given local artists a chance to share their crafts while

helping preserve the authenticity of Italian production.

Accompanying the festivities will be a selection of traditional Tuscan food and wine.

Artigianato e Palazzo 20th Edition May 15 to 18, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Palazzo Corsini, Via della Scala, 115 Tickets €8; reduced €6; 4-day pass €20 www.artigianatoepalazzo.it

Founded in Florence in April 2014 by writers Mundy Walsh and Lyall Harris, The Sigh Press is a quarterly online journal featuring poetry, short fiction and art. It hopes to shine a light on the wealth of writers of English in Tuscany.

“This could be a writer in the region for a month or 10 years, whose work was inspired by his/her time in Tuscany,” says Mundy. “It doesn’t mean that the topic has to be about Tuscany itself. We are looking for work written with wit and style but about anything from a cut-throat knitting contest to climbing Mount Everest to recovering from divorce. This includes the Cultural Commentary section.”

Initially The Sigh Press will be online and people can sign up to receive the Journal every quarter.

“Although we are an online journal, we hope to print an anthology annually to celebrate the work we have published throughout the year,” says Lyall. This will include the artwork published in each issue.

Submissions can be made at any time

but there is a closing date for each quarterly journal (i.e. May 15 for the first issue). Each section is named after a punctuation symbol: Exclamation Point – Flash fiction (1000 word max) Apostrophe – Flash fiction (50 word max) Brackets – Creative nonfiction (1000 word max) Comma – Poetry (25 line max) Dash – Poetry (14 line max) Asterisk – Artwork (one artist per issue) Question Mark – Ask a thought-provoking question (50 word max) Accents – Cultural commentary (200 words max) Submissions are free but limited to a total of two submissions per person.

For artwork submissions, they ask for 3 to 5 jpeg images at 300dpi with the greatest pixel dimension at 1000.

Each issue will have a theme, which can be taken as broadly as one likes.

The first is “A Deliberate Leap.” For more information on The Sigh Press, please visit www.thesighpress.com.

US Students Clean Via Maggio Students from James Madison Uni- us here. It’s also good to show that versity in Florence fought back last it’s possible for a group of concerned month against the crude graffiti de- people to get together to make a place facing the ancient palace facades of better.” the city. Above some of the graffiti Local expert Luca Dilaghi was on site they were removing, was a plaster to guide the graduate students on replica of da Vinci’s Mona Lisa with the proper graffiti cleanup technique. a plaque marking the building as the First, the old paint must be scraped birthplace of the woman in his fa- off. Then primer is applied over the mous painting. wall, and after careful examination, a “It feels good to do something nice layer of paint covers it all up with caufor Florence,” one JMU student said. tion so no paint gets on the old stones “Sometimes study abroad students get or streets. This act of service was part a bad reputation, so it’s worthwhile of the Virginia-based school’s annuto show the city our positive side and al day devoted to giving back to the that we are thankful for them hosting community known as the “Big Event.”

BISTRO AND WINE BAR

SPECIAL: VEGETARIAN LASAGNE

OPEN FROM 11 TO 3 A.M. VIA DEI BENCI, 30/R NEAR SANTA CORCE

Open daily 12 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Artisan gelato near Santo Spirito Via Toscanella, 15/r www.gelaterialapassera.wordpress.com

11

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

The Glamour of the Renaissance Woman Make-up, Body Care, and Clothing of Yesterday’s Florentine Lady

Chiara Becchetti Chiara Becchetti is a licensed tourist guide. To contact her check her website: toptoursintuscany.com

Before the Renaissance, and until the 15th century, women were represented in art as religious and biblical figures, according to a conception deriving from Byzantine art.

The first artist to trace the new path was Giotto, who during the Middle Ages painted the first female breast in history, the Maestà di Ognissanti, today housed in the first room of the Uffizi Gallery.

Giotto’s woman was the first not to be an icon but rather a real female, a real mother in her material and physical presence.

It was only during the Renaissance that this pattern of an idealized woman to adore was broken and that women began to be represented as human, females now bereaved of their abstract and religious meaning. Most of the merit for this revolution must be attributed to Brunelleschi, who in the 1400s invented perspective, making it possible to represent the third dimension of the space and the representation of the different proportions of the human body, which in turn made possible a psychological representation of humans.

Significant to this regard are the Florentine Madonnas, full of a grace and delicacy that hide a kind of beauty and at the same time are melancholic and unattainable. Symbolic of this is Botticelli’s Venus with her strabismus.

Still, the perfection that transpires from these portraits, a perfection that still today we admire, required and, at the same time, reflected, particular efforts by women.

Skin care treatments during the Renaissance were very similar to those of the Middle Ages, as were were bathing rituals, skin care products, and cosmetics. What changed, however, was the attitude with regard to these practices. While medieval women saw cosmetics simply as a way to appear more attractive, those of the Renaissance wanted to reach a transcendent ideal that combined classical philosophy and art with physical beauty and human values. This new, idealized model of beauty became a composite of perfect and symmetrical

features inspired by classical statues and humanist philosophy.

Visitors entering the room dedicated to Renaissance painters in the Uffizi may notice that women are all blonde (Filippo Lippi’s Madonna perfectly represents the idea of beauty of that period), and this because in the Florence of the Medici being blonde was considered highly fashionable. But, since most Florentine females were brunette, methods to color hair needed to be invented, leading to the birth of the modern cosmetic industry.

The most common method was a mix of alum, sulfur, soda, and rhubarb.

Another common practice at this time was drying and decorating hair with stones, pearls, ribbons, and shimmering veils. Some women even spent entire days under the sun to lighten their hair with cap-less hats, as pale ivory skin was considered sexy while deep red color was used for the lips.

Even though an overall pallor was desired, the Renaissance woman used just a touch of color on their cheekbones. Another typical habit of females of this period was cutting the hair of the eyebrows, forehead, and temples, considered a way to display intelligence.

Among the beauty secrets was that of the Belladonna. This Italian term, meaning “beautiful lady,” refers to the habit that some ladies had of dropping a distillate of herbs into their eyes to dilate the pupils, giving them a “wide-eyed” gaze that was considered sexy, so attractive even as to make them tolerate the fastidious side effects, such as blurry vision, intoxication, hallucinations, and in certain cases even poisoning. Florentine language has preserved the expression “If you want to look beautiful, you have to suffer from a thousand troubles.”

Even with regard to dressing, the Renaissance had an enormous impact. Wealthy women—who were the ones establishing trends—typically wore finer fabrics such as silks, brocades, and velvets, with elaborate details and expensive jewels. The typical dress was in one piece from shoulder to hem and touched the ground with a close fitting waist and full-gathered skirt. The long dress often had an overdress with open sleeves. The belt around it was embroidered and trimmed with gold, silver

The Artisan Ice-Cream Shop

HAIRDRESSER AND BEAUTY SERVICES

In 1938, the idea for a shop was born based on the same question it bears as its name: Perché no! ‘why not?’. Ugo Ravaioli, founder and owner of the icecream shop for decades found an ideal location on Via de’ Tavolini to start the ‘sweet business.’ Ever since, Perché no! has been one of Florence’s most famous spots for refreshment. It is an authentic venue for ice-cream lovers famous for its ‘semifreddi.’ Today, the shop is run

by Mrs. Paola and her daughters who rediscovered original recipes and create unique flavors while paying attention to the quality of ingredients.

Located in the central area of Sant’Ambrogio in Santa Croce, Alchimia offers a variety of women’s hair and beauty services using the finest brands. Services include: • • • • • • • • •

Haircuts Long-length extensions Keratin reconstruction Paul Mitchell product retailer Shellac reconstruction and permanent enamel Waxing Massage (healing and relaxation) Custom make-up Cut, color and highlight

9 a.m.– 7.30 p.m.

Via dei Tavolini, 19/r 055 23 98 969 www.percheno.firenze.it

Via dell’Agnolo, 47–49–51/r 055 24 16 04 www.alchimia-hairdesign.com

CULTURE & FASHION

Pitti Immagine Returns

buttons, pearls, and precious stones.

These trends became the model for women from many countries. When Italy was conquered by foreign nations such as Spain, France, and Austria, Pitti Immagine, the fair of all fashthe world of fashion in Europe changed dramati- ion marketing trade fairs, returns to cally, and the idealized woman of the Middle Ages Florence with four events during the months of May and June: Modaprima was thus forever abandoned.

The new woman of the 15th century—who, it’s 76, Pitti Uomo 86, Pitti W 14, and Pitti worth repeating, was an aristocrat was inspired Bimbo. by the models of beauty and glamor established Modaprima (May 23-25) is the return

by Florentine women, and by the elegance of the of quality fast fashion. The international fair will feature ready-to-wear clothing of the Renaissance look. men’s and women’s clothing and accessories from names such as Algis, Valentina by Guerzon, Tavus Milano, Moda Milena, Edas Italia, and many more.

Pitti Uomo (June 17-20) focuses on contemporary global lifestyle as the world’s most important platform for men’s clothing and accessory collection, and also launches new projects in men’s fashion. Pitti Uomo is held in Florence twice a year (in June and in January).

Pitti W 14 (also June 17-20) is dedicated to special innovative and experimental projects in women’s fashion, including single-product and capsule collections. Pitti W is held in Florence twice a year on the same dates as Pitti Uomo.

Pitti Bimbo (June 26-28) is the only international fair in the world that offers a complete depiction of every possible aspect of children’s fashions.

Created in 1975, Pitti Bimbo launched the first runway shows and events dedicated to this market, and is held in Florence twice a year.

The fairs, strictly reserved for specialist buyers, take place at the Stazione Leopolda.

Lippi, Filippo. Madonna with Child, 1465.

Uffizi Gallery, Florence

Pitti Immagine www.pittimmagine.com

12

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

ART

“Dante in the World” Photo Contest Winner Announced

Contemporary Japanese Art at Palazzo Pitti Alex Martello

First prize in the photo contest “Dante the Romualdo Del Bianco Foundation in the World Today” has been award- and its Institute Life Beyond Tourism, ed to 24-year-old Daniele Quadraccia together with the Casa di Dante Muof Vignanello (Viterbo). Sponsored by seum in Florence and in collaboration

with the Centro Congressi al Duomo and Vivafirenze.it, the competition called on participants to portray modern realities through the places, atmosphere, and characters of “The Divine Comedy.”

The initiative, based on the principles of the Life Beyond Tourism Manifesto, aimed to promote global intercultural dialogue. The Life Beyond Tourism Photoblog collects images from around the world, representing and comparing different interpretations of heritage, cultural diversity, traditional knowledge, and travel.

Quadraccia’s winning shot, titled “Group of Tourists, Iceland,” is from the contest category Inferno. Runners-up were Mario Petrone in 2nd place with “Angel” (Purgatory category); Stefano Venturi in 3rd place with “The Dark Forest” (Inferno category); and Lisa Bajec in 4th place with “After the Storm” (Paradise category).

Fifty-three contestants from Italy and around the world participated in the contest. Voting took place on line.

Venice Museums Leaders in Google Art Project Venice leads the country in the Google Art Project with more collections than any other Italian city on the Google Art platform, a partnership began in November 2013 that allows users to view high-res images online.

The collaboration between Google and the Civic Museums of Venice includes the Doge’s Palace, the Glass Museum of Murano, and the Accademia. Google Street View also gives users the chance to take a virtual tour

of the Doge’s Palace and the Ca’ Rezzonico.

The project in Venice began with 150 museum art works and now offers 370. Masterpieces by Tintoretto, Bellini, and Titian, including his fresco of St. Christopher at the Doge’s Palace are available online along with the Apotheosis of Venice by Paolo Veronese, Neptune Offers Venice the Riches of the Sea by Giambattista Tiepolo, and Paradise by Jacopo and

hairdressing SALON IN VIA DE’ BENCI • • • • • • • • • • • •

Shampoo & dry (short) ......... €15/€16 Shampoo & dry (long) ......... €18/€20 Cut .................................................... €15 Perm ............................................... €30 Color [tips] ...................................... €24 Color [full] ....................................... €32 Toning .............................................. €17 Highlights with headset ............... €29 Highlights with spatula ................ €32 Woven highlights ........................... €41 Two-toned Highlights .................. €62 Shampoo & cut (men) .................. €20

Tue. to Thurs.: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

Fri. to Sat.: 9 a.m.–7 p.m.

Via dei Benci, 37r 055 234 48 85

Domenico Tintoretto. This last is the largest canvas in the world, at 22 meters wide and seven meters high.

Access to 18th-century masterpieces at the museum of Ca’ Rezzonico includes genre scenes by Pietro Longhi, ceiling decorations by Giambattista Tiepolo and landscapes by Canaletto.

The museum of Palazzo Mocenigo at San Stae offers rare textiles and 18th -century costumes and extravagant dresses.

The Tourbillon exhibit by Masaaki Miyasako will be on show in the Angiolini room in the Gallery of Modern Art at Palazzo Pitti from May 20 until June 29.

Miyasako is a world-renowned painter and a professor at the graduate school of the Tokyo National University of Arts.

Miyasako believes that to be “contemporary” an artist must have an original technique and idea, whether or not the artwork contains a message and a philosophy. He uses an original technique of his own called urazaiski (coloring from the reverse side), which is backed by a classic method derived from Japanese traditional nihonga painting.

Internationally, museums have often not paid much attention to modern nihonga paintings, often overlooking the genre. But Miyasako has been offered solo exhibitions. He is eager

to showcase his spiritually strong nihonga pieces to the world. The painter’s philosophy is embodied in spiral form, in a belief that the “origin of eternal life is composed of the spiral.” The form itself naturally appears while painting; it is not something he intentionally draws.

On display will be 33 works, mostly large or composite panels from Japanese Museums, and private collections. Subjects include Japanese landscapes, women, men, animals, fruits, and flowers, all in fine shades of color.

Tourbillon, Masaaki Miyasako Until June 29 Palazzo Pitti, Gallery of Modern Art Tue. - Sun.: 8:15 a.m. to 6:50 p.m.

Closed Mondays Tickets € 8.50; reduced € 4.25

13

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

LITERATURE

Dante’s Commedia: Misconceived by Dan Brown Lee Foust The theme of the Book of Revelations, like the Old Testament Book of Daniel upon which it was based, is thlipsis—a Greek word meaning tribulations. Consequently, our whole Judeo-Christian concept of God’s judgment in the afterlife stems from how we morally react to life’s tribulations. Since Revelations recounts mostly the retributions meted out to the enemies of Christianity and other evildoers at the end of time, a lacuna of early Christian theology was the knowledge of what happens to the souls of the faithful in the interim between death and the last judgment.

Into this gap stepped the Vision of St. Paul, an apocryphal biblical text that spawned a considerable but little-read medieval genre of visions recounting journeys into a moralized Christian land of the dead—there are about 100 such texts written in Europe between the 2nd and 14th centuries and it is from them that we take most of our common modern images of hell and heaven, as well as the entire concept of Purgatory. Dante Alighieri’s tripartite epic poem, The Commedia (“Divine” was added to the title later, by Giovanni Boccaccio), is one such encyclopedic, late-medieval account of how the unrepentant are punished in Hell, how the repentant are cleansed in Purgatory, and how the blessed celebrate their salvation in Heaven.

As alluring as a descent into the infernal regions at first sounds, however, the poem has nothing at all to do with any medieval plagues, nor with the threat to anyone’s life, and its villain is a chained-up, non-speaking, and totally ineffectual Satan. Neither the poem’s focus on morality, nor its lack of an active villain, is compatible with the modern thriller genre. We saw it in

the film Se7en’s weak Dantesque references, we saw it in the over-romanticized video game Dante’s Inferno, and we see it yet again in Dan Brown’s mostly pointless attempt to exploit Dante’s poem in his recent thriller, Inferno. Just as modern-day romance plays no part whatsoever in the poet’s spiritual salvation as granted him by the figure of an allegorical, unknown woman who is called “Beatrice” because the name signifies that she is a miracle from heaven, “a blessing,” (as I discussed in last month’s article) so the episodic and poetic invocation of divine justice after death presented in the Commedia has no secular stakes— no ticking bombs or terrorist plots. It just doesn’t fit the thriller mold, and that’s why Dan Brown’s Inferno, for me, fails by choosing Dante’s epic as a platform—it grafts two incompatible species of tree together too haphazardly. The basic plot—a mad genius biologist cooking up a virus to save the world from human overpopulation—is interesting enough, but all of the half-baked information regarding the Commedia, Dante’s life, and his love for Beatrice, is needless, awkward, and often just plain wrong.

Without it, the novel might also have clocked in at a more readable 250 pages instead of its tedious 462. For a really interesting take on Dante’s epic poem—and some awesome Godfather, Goodfellas, and Sopranos-style gangster shenanigans—try Nick Tosches’s In the Hand of Dante (No Exit Press, 2002). Tosches’s novel juxtaposes the medieval poet’s struggle to complete his poetic vision of Paradise with the bloodbath produced by modern-day gangsters fighting over the newly discovered original manuscript of the Commedia in the poet’s own hand. Now that would be a find worth fighting over!

Gothic Italy: Cuma and the Underworld

Lee Foust Beyond the benevolent summertime travel reading of Italy like Room with a View or ‘Under the Tuscan Sun, there is another literary representation of Italy—one of shadows, prophesy, and Gothic terrors.This is the first part of a two-part essay seeking to understand and explain why Italy once stood for a haunted, exotic land of ghosts, goblins and banditti in the English literary imagination.

Blame it on the Cumean sibyl. One of the oracles of the ancient world, the prophetic cult of the sibyl at Cuma, just north of Naples, where Euboean Greeks first settled on mainland Italy in the eighth century BCE, seems to have inaugurated the literary tradition of seating an entrance into Hades and the spooky terrain of mystic prophecy on Italian soil. When the Roman poet Virgil, in his Latin heroic epic Aeneid, re-wrote Odysseus’ ritual parley with the spirits of the dead of Odyssey XI, he chose Cuma and the nearby volcanic lake Avernus as the locus for his hero’s descent into the land of the dead. Ever since then European literary specters have primarily haunted Italy.

The depiction in Aeneid VI of the honeycombed and howling cavern of the priestess of Apollo, the mystical grove of the Golden bough, and the volcanic lake’s wide mouth into the underworld, lead to a series of early medieval Neapolitan legends that the poem’s author, Virgil himself, was a magus who had himself trod the Elysian Fields and returned to the land of living to write about them. Later legends claim he was an astrologer, astronomer, even a prophet of Christ; also a series of semi-erotic tales recount his mystical travails with the women of Rome. (Italian comparatist Domenico Comparetti’s Vergil in the Middle Ages deals exhaustively with both the poet’s literary and folk legacies.) While explicitly ignoring, yet tacitly seconding the legends of Virgilius magus, Dante Alighieri choses the Roman poet as his pilgrim’s escort through Hell and Purgatory in his Christian epic poem, The Commedia, keeping spectral Italy alive in the literature of the later middle ages.

Not only the sulfuric Campi Flegrei surrounding Cuma, Avernus, and Naples, but Europe’s largest active volcano—Sicily’s Mt. Etna—has been associated with the Arthur, king of

every

the Britons, who is supposed to sleep there, either awaiting healing and a return to England and renew ancient glories, or as a permanent, somnambulistic ruler over a chivalric land of the dead. The legends of the English king’s connection to Etna and a Valhalla-like land of fallen heroes was probably brought to Sicily by its Norman conquerors—who first arrived in Sicily as mercenaries in 1022, not too long before invading Britain in 1066.

Were the oracles, portals to Hades, and superstitions of medieval Italy in Horace Walpole’s head when he penned the first ever “Gothic Story,” as the frontispiece declares, The Castle of Otranto (1764)? Intentionally or not, Walpole’s romance solidified Italy as the preferred site of all following English Gothic productions. Notably, Mary Shelley’s lesser-known science fiction novel The Last Man (1826) begins with a prologue in which an unnamed narrator and her companion re-visit the now ruined remains of the cavernous temple of the Cumean Sybil. There they gather the remaining Sibylline leaves, the inscriptions upon which, modeled by the narrator into English prose, form the novel’s wondrous tale of the end of human life on earth—as foretold by Italy’s first prophet.

The antro della Subilla, or Sibyl’s cave, is visitable today—a short ride out on the Circum Flegrei or Cumana trains from Naples and a bus ride or hike under the Roman Arco Felice gets you to both Cuma and to the banks of Lake Avernus. Don’t forget to take a copy of the Aeneid with you—there’s nothing like a dramatic reading of book VI in the suggestive cavern itself, or on the shores of the lake that feeds the river Styx.

LIVE DJ-SET

Sunday Home delivered and poured wine in S. Spirito

THE RESTAURANT OF THE FLORENTINES

Bring your bottle to be filled for less than €1.50, straight from the barrels of Il Santo Vino. Here patrons can choose from a wide range of Italian wine in bottles or barrels sourced throughout Tuscany and Italy, as well as spirits and digestives.

Il Santo Vino also provides a homedelivery service alongside selected local specialty and organic products, such as truffled goods, honey, jam, coffee and a variety of Sicilian spreads.

Located in Via Ghibellina near Santa Croce, Da Que’ Ganzi offers a fresh seafood and meat menu for both lunch and dinner. Tuscan specialties include ribollita and authentic Florentine steak, and all of the cakes and sweets are homemade.

A special weekday lunch menu for less than €10 makes the restaurant affordable for anyone.

Monday: 5–9 p.m.

Tues. to Sun.: 10 a.m.–2 p.m.; 5–9 p.m.

Borgo Tegolaio, 46/r 055 53 87 122 // 345 90 93 425 www.ilsantovino.jimdo.com mariella.croda@yahoo.it Skype: ilsantovino

Special dishes: BAKED SEA BASS & TUSCAN STEAK

Mon. to Sun.: 12–2:30 p.m. & 7–11:30 p.m.

Closed on Tuesdays.

Via Ghibellina, 70/r 055 22 60 010 www.daqueiganzi.it info@daqueiganzi.it

American

Brunch

pancakes, french toast, eggs, omelettes, bagels, big breakfast, burgers and more… with a breakfast buffet !

Your pizza & covaccino near Santo Spirito

SPECIAL OFFERS

Slice of pizza + 500ml water: €3.50 Whole margherita pizza + 500ml water: €5.50 Whole margherita pizza + Coke: €6 Maxi 19.6” pizza margherita (for 3-4 people): €15 Cover & service charge included

Piazza di San Felice, 2/r

055 22 07 091

15

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

FOOD & WINE

So Delicious it Survived Lorenzo

Banned by the Medici because of its smell, lampredotto is still alive in Piazza de’ Cimatori high-quality yet affordable street food for more than 80 years. While this kiosk offers a variety of panini, including a delicious panino con porchetta (pork) for the less outgoing, its most popular product remains the lampredotto, which is boiled all day long, from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m.

This specialty attracts a wide variety of clients, with roughly 30 percent of customers being tourists, along with a large local fan base and visitors who come from as far away as Milan specifically for the famous sandwiches. Indeed, approximately 250,000 kilograms of trippa and 80,000 kilograms of lampredotto are consumed in Florence each year, which indicates that this historical curiosity is far from losing its popularity.

These are panini are worth trying.

The meat is incredibly tender, if a slightly disconcerting texture, and it is well-seasoned and dripping in delicious, herby gravy and topped off with salsa verde. It is fair to say that eating a cow’s stomach is not for everyone,

Your one-stop shop for a lampredotto sandwich in Piazza dei Cimatori and San Lorenzo

In true Florentine tradition, the outdoor food cart provides trippa, lampredotto, lesso, poppa, matrice, porchetta, salumi, and wild boar sausages made fresh daily. L’Antico Trippaio is the best place to enjoy excellent panini and focacce like a true local. Just steps from the Duomo, it is one of the most frequented lunch spots in the historic city city. center.

Lara May In order to fully understand this FloThe smell of tripe cooking on the rentine meal, an explanation of what streets of Florence was once so over- tripe is and how it is cooked might be www.anticotrippaio.it whelming that Lorenzo de’ Medici useful. Trippa, or tripe, is made from banned the kiosks altogether. Howev- the cow’s pre-stomachs, and is soft, er, such was its popularity that once white, and mostly flavorless. Enjoyed the Medici lost power, tripe returned in many regions of Italy, it is cooked in force and secured its place as a in a variety of ways.

Lampredotto, however, is the uniquemainstay of Florentine street food.

Initially, tripe was a staple food for ly local Florentine version, made from laborers and the working classes, and the cow’s fourth stomach, called the it dates as far back as the fourteenth abomasum. The name lampredotto century. Simple wooden street carts comes, curiously, from the Italian served sandwiches stuffed with tripe, word for lamprey eels, lampreda— and this tradition continues today, al- once very abundant in the waters of beit in the more sophisticated kiosks the Arno River—as it resembles the that can be found dotted around the inside of the mouth of a lamprey in

The difference between trippa and lampredotto Trippa is the soft and flavorless lining of a cow’s pre-stomach, while lampredotto is made from the cow’s fourth stomach, called the abomasum. Rinsed and boiled for several hours and served up on a Tuscan bread roll with chilli oil and salsa verde, lampredotto is the street food most beloved by Florentines.

shape and color.

Tuscan cooks rinse lampredotto well and boil it with tomatoes, onions, parsley and celery for two to three hours. The meat is then served in a Tuscan saltless bread roll (panino) with salt, pepper, chilli oil or salsa verde (green sauce), with the top slice of the roll dunked in the lampredotto stock.

For the most authentic and delicious experience of tripe, locals recommend L’Antico Trippaio, which has a reputation for making the best panino con lampredotto in town. Located in the Piazza dei Cimatori, L’Antico Trippaio has an impressive track record; it has provided Florentines with

Il Cencio Unto

Sandwiches, wine & glee

TUSCAN COLD CUTS AND FRESH SANDWICHES

YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST DINER

Located in Via de’ Cerchi, Il Cencio Unto is the place where you can taste various typical Tuscan cold cuts and tasting plates. Il Cencio Unto is very selective in its choice of products and offers fresh ingredients, made-to-order dishes with delicious toppings, and a wide selection of wines.

Located on a small street near the Palazzo Vecchio, The Diner boasts an authentic American atmosphere and menu, offering such non-Italian staples as pancakes, hamburgers, fries and milkshakes.

Whether you are looking to try American food for the first time or simply craving a taste of the homeland, The Diner has something delicious and hearty to offer for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

Open daily: 10-12 a.m.

but it is certainly worth giving it a go, and you may be pleasantly surprised!

What is more, alongside L’Antico Trippaio is the aptly named L’Angolo dei Golosi—the “Gourmand Corner”—run by the same owners. With its wide range of delicious sweets and gelati, L’Angolo can provide the perfect end to a truly authentic Florentine meal.

Who needs a Big Mac and a McFlurry when medieval fast food is on the menu?

Customize & calorie count your salad

4€

Lunch Sandwich + drink

Fruit, vegitables & salads.

Specialty:

COCCOLI

Via de’ Cerchi, 25/r 055 21 99 90 info@ilcenciounto.it www.ilcenciounto.it

Via dell’ Acqua, 3 055 29 07 48 www.theflorencediner.com

Via dei Benci, 22/r (near Stanta Croce) www.thekingofsalads.it

Borgo degli Albizi, 20/r

16

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

CITY INFO Tourist Information Firenze Turismo ......... 055 29 08 32 // 055 29 08 33 Via Cavour, 1/r Mon–Sat: 8:30a.m.–6:30p.m.

(Closed on Sundays and public holidays; see Commune info points below for Sunday hours.) info1@firenzeturismo.it www.firenzeturismo.it Florence Airport ............................ 055 31 58 74 Via del Termine, 1 Daily: 8:30a.m.–8:30p.m. infoaeroporto@firenzeturismo.it Commune ..................................... 055 21 22 45 Piazza Stazione, 4 Mon–Sat: 8:30a.m.–7p.m.

Sundays & public holidays: 8:30a.m.–2p.m. turismo3@comune.fi.it www.comune.fi.it Bigallo loggia ................................ 055 28 84 96 Piazza San Giovanni Mon–Sat: 9a.m.–7p.m.

Sundays & public holidays: 9a.m.–2p.m. bigallo@comune.fi.it

Emergency Services Police – emergency ........................................ 113 Police – carabinieri ......................................... 112 Police – municipal ...................... 055 32 83 333 Ambulance ........................................................ 118 Fire department .............................................. 115 Tourist medical service .................. 055 21 22 21 Poison Center ................................ 055 79 47 819 Pharmacies (open) ...................... 800 42 07 07 Vehicle breakdown (ACI) ................................ 116 Obstruction& towed vehicle ....... 055 42 24 142 Civil protection services .................. 800 01 5 161 Child abuse hotline .......................................... 114 Emergency vet services ............. 055 72 23 683 Environmental emergency response ........ 1515 Lost & Found (Florence office) ... 055 33 48 02

Transport BUS & COACH ATAF (www.ataf.net) .................. 800 42 45 00 BluBlus (www.blubus.it) ............. 800 27 78 25 SITA Nord (www.fsbusitalia.it) ... 800 37 37 60 CAP (www.capautolinee.it) ......... 055 21 46 37 Vaibus (www.vaibus.com) ....... 058 35 87 897 TRAIN Trenitalia (www.trenitalia.com) ......... 89 20 21 Italo (www.italotreno.it/en) ............... 06 07 08 TAXI Radio Taxi Firenze .............................. 055 42 42

THE BEST SUBS IN TOWN Sandwiches Salads Soups Onion Rings Fries Pasta Fresh Fruit

Monday - Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Via Sant'Egidio 22/r 347 11 88 056 theoilshoppe.it

Museums & Galleries Accademia Gallery* Alinari National Photography Museum* Bargello National Museum* Bigallo Museum* Cathedral Museum (Museo dell’Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore)* Costume Gallery (Palazzo Pitti)* Dante House Museum* Galileo Museum * Horne Foundation Museum * Jewish Museum* Michelangelo’s House (Casa Buonarroti)* MUDI Children’s Museum Museum & Florentine Institute of Prehistory Museum of Natural History sections: Anthropology & Ethnology* Geology & Paleontology* Minerology & Lithology* Zoology ‘La Specola’* National Archaeological Museum* Orsanmichele* Palatine Gallery (Palazzo Pitti)* Palazzo Davanzati* Palazzo Medici-Riccardi* Palazzo Pitti* Palazzo Strozzi* Palazzo Vecchio* Porcelain Museum* Science & Technical Foundation* Uffizi Gallery* Vasari Corridor

Religious Sites Baptistry of San Giovanni* Brancacci Chapel* Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (Duomo) ‘Dante’s church’ (Santa Margherita de’ Cerchi) Jewish Synagogue* Medici Chapel* Ognissanti San Lorenzo San Marco* Santa Croce* Santa Felicità Santa Maria Novella* Santissima Annunziata Santo Spirito

Gardens

Key Sites Forte Belvedere Giotto’s bell tower (campanile)* Piazza della Repubblica Piazza della Signoria Piazzale Michelangelo Piazza San Giovanni Ponte Vecchio S.M.N. train station (*) included in the FIRENZE CARD. See www.firenzecard.it for more information.

Markets Antiques Borgo Allegri, Via dell’Agnolo, Piazza dei Ciompi, Via Martiri del Popolo Last Sunday of each month (except July): 8:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

Central Market Fresh produce, local and Italian food products.

Via dell’Ariento Monday–Friday: 7 a.m.– 2 p.m. ; Sat: 7 a.m.–5 p.m.

July and August: Monday–Saturday: 7 a.m.–2 p.m.

Cascine Park Food products, clothing, antiques and homewares.

Viale Lincoln, Viale Lecci, Piazzale J. F. Kennedy Every Tuesday: 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

FLEA MARKET Piazza dei Ciompi Daily: 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

FLOWERS & PLANTS Via Pellicceria (under the loggia) Every Thursday (except public holidays): 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

PORCELLINO Clothing, textiles, Florentine straw products, leather and souvenirs.

Piazza del Mercato Nuovo, Via Porta Rossa Daily: 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

SAN LORENZO Leather goods (bags, shoes, clothing) and souvenirs.

Piazza San Lorenzo and neighboring streets Daily: 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

Boboli Gardens* Botanic Gardens* Rose Gardens

STUZZICHERIA LETIZIA

S O F T D R IN K R O CCO

5 EURO VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN MEAL

DRINKS AND MORE ON VIA DE’ NERI

VEGAN: • 1 slice of pizza • 1 vegan first course • 1 vegan crouton • 1 bottle of water VEGETARIAN: • 1 slice of pizza • 1 Sicilian arancino • 1 vegetarian crouton • 1 bottle of water

Whether you want an iced coffee or a bottle of wine, a beer and crisps or a refreshing soda, Soft Drink Rocco has got you covered. It has everything that you could need at a moment’s notice, selling a wide variety of alcohol, soft drinks and foodstuffs. Snugly settled on Via de’ Neri, if you find yourself in the Santa Croce area and in need of a cold drink on a hot day, or anything for that little gathering of friends you’re having, give them a visit.

SANT’AMBROGIO Fresh produce, flowers, clothes and homewares.

Piazza Ghiberti Indoor market: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday: 7:30 a.m.–2 p.m.; Wednesday & Friday: 7:30 a.m.–7 p.m.; Saturday: 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m.

Outdoor market: Monday–Saturday: 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

SANTO SPIRITO Piazza Santo Spirito Fresh produce: Monday–Saturday: 8 a.m.–2 p.m.

Handicrafts & antiques: 2nd Sunday of each month (except July & August): 9 a.m.–7 p.m.

Organic produce: 3rd Sun of each month (except August): 9 a.m.–7 p.m.

Shuttle Service - Florence Airport From Florence S.M.N. train station to Florence Airport (Peretola): Every hour and half-hour from 5:30 a.m. till 11 p.m.

Bus stop located outside train station near taxi stand.

From Florence Airport to Florence S.M.N train station: Every hour and half-hour from 6a.m. till 11.30p.m.

‘Vola in Bus’ ATAF/SITA service .... 800 42 45 00 www.ataf.net Florence Airport ............................ 055 30 61 300 (Peretola) www.aeroporto.firenze.it/en Pisa International Airport ............. 050 84 93 00 (Galileo Galilei) www.pisa-airport.com

Taxi discount for women Florence’s taxi service offers a 10 percent discount for women travelling home alone from the city center. The discount is valid between 9 p.m.–2 a.m. but you must remember to ask for it! Call a taxi on one of the following numbers: 055 42 42 // 055 43 90 055 47 98 // 055 44 99

Special Offer:

HAMBURGER + 1 DRINK € 10

Tue. to Sun.: 6 p.m.–2 a.m.

Via de’ Neri, 18 (near Santa Croce) tittil@live.it

Via de’ Neri, 16/r Santa Croce 389 02 50 515 roccosal@hotmail.it

Via G. Verdi, 47r, 055 38 80 034 www.saloonbargrill.com

17

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

CITY INFO Opening Times BAPTISTRY OF SAN GIOVANNI* Piazza San Giovanni 055 23 02 885 Mon–Sat: 11:15 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sun and 1st Sat of every month: 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m. July 4– Sept 28: Thurs–Sat: 11:15 a.m.–11 p.m.

Easter Week (Thurs, Fri, Sat before Easter & Easter Mon), April 25 & May 1: 8:30 a.m.–7 p.m.

Closed Jan 1, Easter Sunday, Sept 8, Dec 24 & 25.

BOBOLI GARDENS* 055 23 88 786 March Daily: 8:15 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

(6:30 p.m. with daylight saving) April–May & Sept–Oct Daily: 8:15 a.m.–6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. with standard time) June–Aug Daily: 8:15 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

Nov–Feb Daily: 8:15 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Closed 1st and last Mon of each month; Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

CATHEDRAL CUPOLA* Piazza del Duomo 055 23 02 885 Mon–Fri: 8:30 a.m.–7 p.m.; Sat: 8:30 a.m.–5:40 p.m.

Closed Sun; Jan 1; Jan 6; Thurs–Fri– Sat before Easter; Easter; June 24; Aug 15; Sept 8; Nov 1; Dec 8; Mon & Tues of the first week of Advent; Dec 25 & 26. Note: 463 stairs by foot only, no lift.

GIOTTO’S BELL TOWER* Piazza del Duomo 055 23 02 885 Daily: 8:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; January 6: 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Closed Jan 1, Easter, Sept 8 & Dec 25.

Note: 414 stairs by foot only, no lift VASARI CORRIDOR Piazzale degli Uffizi, 6 055 29 48 83 Available to private groups only: contact Uffizi Gallery for information.

MUSEUMS ACCADEMIA GALLERY* Via Ricasoli, 58/60 055 23 88 612 Tues–Sun: 8:15 a.m.–6:50 p.m.

Closed Mon, Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

PALAZZO MEDICI-RICCARDI*

Via Cavour, 3 055 27 60 340 Mon–Tues & Thurs–Sun: 9 a.m.–6 p.m.

Closed Wed. BARGELLO NATIONAL MUSEUM* Via del Proconsolo, 4 055 23 88 606 Daily: 8:15 a.m.–1.50 p.m.

Closed 1st, 3rd & 5th Sun and 2nd & 4th Mon of each month; Jan 1 & Dec 25.

CATHEDRAL MUSEUM (Museo dell’Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore)* Piazza del Duomo, 9 055 23 02 885 Mon–Sat: 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; Sun: 9 a.m.–1:45 p.m.

Closed Jan 1, Easter, Sept 8 & Dec 25.

DANTE HOUSE MUSEUM * Via Santa Margherita, 1 055 21 94 16 April–Sept Daily: 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Oct–March Tues–Sun: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed Mon (Oct 1–March 31), Dec 24 & 25.

GALILEO MUSEUM * Piazza dei Giudici, 1 055 26 53 11 Mon & Wed–Sun: 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m.; Tues: 9:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Closed Jan 1 & Dec 25.

JEWISH MUSEUM * Via Farini, 6 055 23 46 654 June–Sept: Mon–Thurs & Sun: 10 a.m.–6:30 p.m.; Fri: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Oct–May: Mon–Thurs & Sun: 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m.; Fri: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Closed Sat, Jan 1, Dec 25 & Jewish holidays.

MICHELANGELO’S HOUSE (Casa Buonarroti)* Via Ghibellina, 70 055 24 17 52 Mon & Wed–Sun: 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Closed Tues, Jan 1, Easter & Dec 25.

NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM* Piazza Santissima Annunziata, 9b 055 23 57 720 / 23 575 Tues–Fri: 8:30 a.m.–7 p.m.

Sat–Mon: 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m.

Closed Jan 1 & Dec 25.

PALAZZO DAVANZATI * Via Porta Rossa, 13 055 23 88 610 Daily: 8:15–1:30 p.m.

Closed 2nd & 4th Sun, and 1st, 3rd & 5th Mon of the month; Jan 1, May 1, Dec 25.

PALAZZO PITTI* Piazza Pitti, 1 Palatine Gallery 055 23 88 614 Tues–Sun: 8:15 a.m.–6:50 p.m. Royal Apartments closed every year during Jan for maintenance. Closed Mon, Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

Costume Gallery 055 23 88 801 / 23 88 713 March Daily: 8:15 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

(6:30 p.m. with daylight saving) April–May & Sept–Oct Daily: 8:15 a.m.–6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. with standard time) June–Aug Daily: 8:15 a.m.–6:30 p.m.

Nov–Feb Daily: 8:15 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Closed 1st and last Mon of each month; Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

Gallery of Modern Art 055 2388601 Tues–Sun: 8:15 a.m.–6:50 p.m.

Closed Mon, Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

Silverware Museum (Museo degli Argenti) Piazza Pitti, 1 055 2388709 March Daily: 8:15 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

(6:30 p.m. with daylight saving) April–May & Sept–Oct Daily: 8:15 a.m.–6:30 p.m. (5:30 p.m. with standard time) June–Aug Daily: 8:15 a.m.–6:30 p.m.

Nov–Feb Daily: 8:15 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Closed 1st and last Mon of each month; Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

Porcelain Museum 055 2388709 March Daily: 8:15 a.m.–5:15 p.m. (6:15 p.m. with daylight saving) April–May & Sept–Oct Daily: 8:15 a.m.–6:15 p.m. (5:15 p.m. with standard time) June–Aug Daily: 8:15 a.m.–6:15 p.m.

Nov–Feb Daily: 8:15 a.m.–4:15 p.m.

Closed 1st and last Mon of each month; Jan 1, May 1 & Dec 25.

Sixty museums in 72 hours with the Firenze Card Become a Friend of the Uffizi For €40 for youth under 25, €60 for an adult and €100 for a family (two adults and two children), the card offers a calendar year’s worth of free privileged entrance to the following museums: Uffizi Gallery Accademia Gallery The Pitti Palace The Palatine Gallery & Royal Apartments The Gallery of Modern Art The Costume Gallery The Medici Treasury The Porcelain Museum The Boboli Gardens The Bardini Gardens Bargello National Museum Museum of the Medici Chapels Museum of Palazzo Davanzati Museum of San Marco Garden of the Medici Villa of Castello Medici Villa of Petraia Medici Villa of Poggio a Caiano Medici Villa of Cerreto Guidi & Historical Hunting and Territorial Museum Cenacolo of Ognissanti Cenacolo of Andrea del Sarto Cenacolo of Fuligno Cenacolo of Sant’Apollonia Cloister of the Scalzo www.amicidegliuffizi.it

The Firenze Card is your one-stop pass to the museums, churches and gardens of Florence. For €72 it offers: • 72 hours of free access to 60 of Florence’s most popular and important museums, churches and gardens, including current exhibitions, permanent collections and museum activities; • Free use of public transport within Florence; • Immediate access to busy museums – skip long queues and pre-booking; • Your choice of start date: the clock doesn’t start ticking until you enter your first museum; • Dedicated smartphone application to help find the museums, access free wi-fi and give you updated information on exhibits and events; • Though the card can only be used once in each museum by one person, it also allows free entrance for EU citizens under 18 who are members of the same family unit of the cardholder.

See the website for full details: www.firenzecard.it

18

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

FOOD & WINE

The Aperitivo Explained

Wine may be the drink of choice in Italy, and the Tuscan region in particular is known for its wine production. Yet beyond the world of wine lies a wide assortment of cocktails to discover in Italy, including the Negroni, the Spritz, and the Americano.

These iconic Italian cocktails feature distinctive ingredients like Aperol, Campari and Vermouth and contain flavors that stimulate the appetite— thus, perfect for the Italian aperitivo.

The social activity known as aperitivo takes place in a lively atmosphere, at a bar or party, accompanied by light-tasting cocktails and pre-dinner snacks.

Aperitivo happens almost every night of the week and in some locales the finger foods are abundant enough to

was at Florence’s Caffè Casoni (now Caffè Giacosa), he ordered his Americano a little bit stronger. The bartender decided to add gin instead of soda water, and an orange instead of a lemon, to distinguish this new and different drink. The cocktail was so well received that the Negroni family founded a Negroni Distillery in Treviso, Italy.

Currently there are three different variations of the Negroni cocktail.

The first, invented in Milan, is called the Negroni sbagliato, the “wrong” Negroni, wherein Spumante Brut (dry sparkling white wine) is substitutmake a full meal, at the price of an 8 ed for gin. The Negroski is a version or 9 euro cocktail. made with vodka instead of gin. LastNegroni, Spritz, and Americano are ly, the Sparkling Negroni contains the the quintessential Italian apéritifs. In- same main three parts—gin, Campari tended to whet the palate, these three and Vermouth— plus Champagne cocktails usually contain Campari, or Prosecco, and is sometimes garbut are also offered with some minor nished with an orange twist. variations.

The Spritz cocktail, another popular The Americano is made with half choice for aperitivo, is made with one Campari, half sweet Vermouth, and ounce of Aperol, two ounces Prosecsoda water, and is garnished with co, and seltzer. For those who prefer lemon. It was originally served in a more bitter flavor, Campari can be Gaspare Campari’s café in Milan and used instead of the sweeter, lighter called the Milano-Torino cocktail in Aperol. reference to the Campari from Milan Venturing away from standard Amerand Vermouth from Turin. Howev- ican cocktails makes for a delicious er, as the drink grew in popularity change of pace, while experiencing among American tourists, it became the Italian aperitivo tradition takes known as the Americano. you a step closer to adopting the ItalIn 1919, when Count Camillo Negroni ian lifestyle. Cin cin!

A Guide to Understanding Chianti Wine Labels A native Tuscan, Galileo Galilei used notes and contain a minimum of 12.5 to say that “Wine is sunlight, held percent alcohol. together by water.” He may well have Chianti wine boasts an ancient histobeen speaking of Chianti Classico, ry: the Etruscans of the region were the veritable original of the Chianti known for their wine cultivation more clan, which carves out its territory be- than 2,500 years ago, and historians tween Florence and Siena. believe that they even experimented Since 1924, this production zone cov- with grafting and hybrid techniques. ering 14 municipalities has been pro- According to legend, the so-called tected by the Chianti Classico Wine gallo nero or black rooster became a Consortium, founded to protect the symbol of the Chianti region after a integrity of the Chianti Classico label. horse race was organized by the two Chianti is classified into different de- rival republics of Siena and Florence nominations depending on the area to decide their official borders. A in which it is produced, and in order cockcrow was established as the deto qualify for DOCG (controlled and parture signal for the two horsemen guaranteed denomination of origin) in their respective cities; however, status, strict rules must be adhered to. Florence tricked Siena by starving its Chianti Classico wine must contain black rooster so that it began crowing grapes grown within the production before sunrise, enabling the Florenzone and comprise 80 to 100 percent tine rider to set off well in advance Sangiovese and up to 20 percent of of his Sienese rivals. The Florentine approved local and international va- met his opponent a mere 12 kilomerieties. ters from Siena, thereby winning the True Chianti Classico is noted for its Chianti region for Florence. The gallo ruby-red color, limpidity, floral aro- nero became a symbol of the League ma combined with red fruits, with a of Chianti in the Middle Ages and is harmonious, dry and tannic flavor now recognized as the official mark and a minimum alcohol content of of the Chianti Classico Wine Con12 percent. Chianti Classico Riserva sortium, one of the most recognized (Reserve) may exhibit fine and spicy wine labels in the world.

Recipe for Gluten-Free Tiramisù Supplies needed: Baking pan (24 cm/9.5 inches) and non-stick baking paper Ingredients for the cake 5 eggs 15 Tbsp of sugar 150 grams (0.3 lbs) cornstarch or potato starch

Ingredients for the cream 3 eggs 9 Tbsp sugar 750 grams (1.6 lbs) mascarpone cheese 2 cups coffee cocoa powder for dusting Directions For the cake: Mix the eggs and sugar

with an electric mixer on high speed for 20 minutes. Add the cornstarch, stirring gently from bottom to top.

Moisten the baking paper and line the baking pan with it. Put the mixture in the pan. Bake at 180° C (356° F) for 3540 minutes.

For the cream: Mix the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for 10 minutes. Add the mas-

carpone (cold).

When the sponge cake has cooled, slice it into two so you get two discs.

Drench the first piece of cake with coffee (use a brush to help). Add the cream, then overlay with the second disc of cake. Repeat the process. Chill for at least 2 hours. Dust with cocoa powder before serving. www.chefvary.com

Bistro, Wine AND Cocktails at Borgo Ognissanti San Carlo bar offers continental and American breakfast and brunch, simple but refined lunch, a large aperitivo buffet, and an extensive wine and cocktail list. Music and art create a warm, lively atmosphere while friendly staff members are always ready to cater to any requests. San Carlo is a bar suited to any time of day: great for a quick coffee or snack, a leisurely aperitivo or meal, or simply an after-dinner drink with friends.

Specialty:

TUNA STEAK

Borgo Ognissanti, 32-34/r 055 21 68 79 info@sancarlofirenze.it www.sancarlofirenze.it

19

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

CITY BEAT

Dine with Dante

Named after Dante Alighieri’s most famous work, The Divine Comedy, this homely, rustic restaurant fittingly lies on Via dei Cimatori, only a few meters away from Dante’s House.

The venue prides itself on its innovative and creative idea of preparing solely traditional dishes based on medieval recipes.

Some are adapted and revisited for the modern age but in a way that one maintains the omnipresent feeling of Florentine history and tradition – so much so that Dante himself could walk in and dine next to you.

As a matter of fact, this is a regular occurrence at Taverna La Divina Commedia, as the venue regularly hosts recitals from Dante’s great work by professional costumed performers.

Traditional medieval-style dishes include home-made ribbon pasta with wild boar and mushroom sauce, roast

shin of pork with new potatoes and seasonal vegetables, risotto inspired by medieval Tuscan flavors, and tasting plates of assorted cheeses accompanied with fresh fruit and jams, including the taverna’s specialty hot red pepper jam.

Also serving as a wine bar and pizzeria, the restaurant offers an eclectic selection of wines from its cellar, an outdoor summer terrace, and is fittingly decorated in a medieval style with armour and banners – and, of course, a mandatory bust of Dante himself.

Taverna la Divina Commedia

Hard Rock Cafe Launches New Menu After over a year of research that included analysis of customer feedback, interviews with thousands of customers across six continents, and ingredients testing, the Hard Rock Cafe restaurant chain has launched a new menu. The menu, presented recently at an evening event of tastings reserved to journalists and bloggers, focuses on freshness and quality.

Officially launched on March 26 in the restaurant chain’s U.S. locations, the menu is now on its way to European Cafes. It includes new desserts, which were tested at the Florence Cafe location, an entirely redesigned salad

menu that introduces combination choices, and new seasonal vegetable options. Even the restaurant’s glasses and plates have been reviewed and revamped. Meats have been chosen based on several factors, according to Federico Boglietti, Kitchen Manager of Hard Rock Cafe in Florence, taking into consideration the best cuts and percentage of fats present. Some cuts of meat come from Ireland, from a distributor who can guarantee the thickness and the cut requested in line with the Cafe’s standards. In all, 30 new dishes have been created and 28 have been modified.

The Man Who Created the “Bomba” At Salumeria Exporting Yoga to Florence Monthly Recipe: Verdi, every day Via dei Cimatori, 7/r 055 21 53 69 Open daily: 11.30 a.m.–12.30 a.m.

Spaghetti allo Scoglio

Getting to know 19\r

Yoga-enthusiasts looking for an exciting studio to practice yoga need not travel beyond the heart of Florence.

19r Ashtanga Yoga and Pilates Institute offers Ashtanga, Hatha Yoga, and Pilates for all levels, with classes in both English and Italian offered at convenient times so that it is possible to make studying a daily practice.

Located at Via dei Bardi, 19r, it is the home studio of Melissa Ferrer, who has trained over 500 hours within the It’s Yoga Ashtanga program in San Francisco, Puerto Rico, and Stockholm, and who has studied and taught in Florence for the past four years. The classes are taught by Melissa and the 13 other YAI Certified instructors at the studio.

The studio also offers Yoga to Go re-

treats, including one from April 18–23 titled “Surf and Yoga Morocco.” Other retreats include Positano, Italy at the end of July; Sailing Sicily in October; and Galapagos, Ecuador in November. Those wishing to become certified teachers can attend the 19r Yoga & Pilates Teacher Training Institute, which, under the guidance of Yoga Alliance International, has created a special 200-hour Ashtanga teacher-training program designed to provide the tools to become a yoga instructor as well as assist in strengthening the personal practice of yoga.

Heat some garlic and a pinch of dry chili pepper in olive oil. Simmer the mussels and clams with a splash of white wine until they open, then add the calamari, shrimp, and scampi with a small amount of fresh tomato.

Cook the sauce for 5 minutes, just long enough to cook the scampi. As soon as the pasta is cooked toss it well with the sauce and serve.

19r Yoga

Da Que’ Ganzi

Via dei Bardi, 19/r • 339 19 70 902 19ryogapilates.com

Via Ghibellina, 70/r • 055 22 60 010 www.daqueiganzi.it

SNACK BAR ANNA

GIGLIO BIANCO

THE FIRST Bagel POINT IN flORENCE SINCE 1990 Enjoy the relaxing atmosphere and the jumbo cappuccinos while having a chat with Anna and Stefano, who will welcome you in a warm and friendly way.

Grab one of the many homemade bagels, the bar’s perfected specialty since 1990. These bagels and sandwiches have made this snack spot one of the most popular among local Americans. While taking a break in the back seating area you will be pleased to experience the nocharge table service, which places Snack Bar Anna far from the ‘tourist traps’ in the city.

Mon. to Sat.: 8:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m.

Via de’ Ginori, 26/r 055 23 81 143 stevebar@hotmail.it

COOKING CLASSES The Dinner at Home’s “Chef Vary” and Edo is a unique experience …..

• • • • •

Outstanding and authentic cuisine Four courses dégustation Home made and fresh food Elegant and welcoming italian hospitality Specialist for gluten free and vegetarian Come to enjoy your Best home made food in Down town!

Only with reservation Menu and details (www.chefvary.com) Cooking class (programs www.chefvary.com) Via Romana, 28/r info@chefvary.com 3931050885

at lunchtime you will find a line of students and locals waiting for a sandwich. At the front of the line, friendly owner Pino is there to serve up meals and greet customers. One of his most beloved spicy creations among foreign students is the panino dubbed “la bomba.” Its ingredients include salami piccante, pecorino piccante, pomodori secchi, and salsa inferno (spicy salami, spicy sheep’s cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and hot “hell sauce”).

The original “bomba” has been so successful that copycat sandwiches have popped up around the city. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

BHC Hosts Craft Brewers on May 23 Beer House Club, located at Corso dei Tintori, 34/r, will host the artisanal beer maker Hibu on May 23. Hibu originally opened in 2007 and moved to Bernareggio after they quadrupled their production. First and foremost, their brewers believe that they should like the beer they make. Hibu has their standard beers such as the golden ale Entropia; the IPA Trhibu; and the imperial porter called Mood with hints of chocolate, licorice, and coffee.

They also produce more adventurous seasonal varieties including a barley wine called Tribeca. The Beer House Club will have live music and a special menu for the event, which will begin in the early evening

A Tropical Touch in the City

Whether you are a tourist looking for the perfect souvenir to take back home or living in Florence and want some water life to keep you company, Tropical Aquarium is the place to go. For those looking for a water pet, Tropical Aquarium sells many different types of salt and fresh water fish, including goldfish, fighting fish, and orando fish. The most common pets in Florence are goldfish and small dogs such as Jack Russell Terriers.

Tropical Aquarium does not sell dogs, but they do sell food, toys and other dog equipment. Turtles are also available for sale if you would like a mixture of a land/sea animal.

Via Ghibellina, 121 • 055 239 8154 www.tropicalaquarium.org

20

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

SAN GIMIGNANO

A Short History of San Gimignano

From its Founding by Two Roman Brothers in the 1st Century B.C. to its 18th-Century Rebirth inhabited during the Hellenistic period. In 1501, friars at the convent of Two brothers, Muzio and Silvio, while San Domenico unearthed an Etrusescaping Roman persecution in 63 can tomb while digging in their garB.C., are said to have built up two den. This was only one of many finds castles close together. The Castle of to demonstrate that the San GimignaSilvia would eventually become San no area was well populated during Gimignano. The name is believed to Etruscan times. have come from 450 A.D. when the After the fall of Rome, the area was saint of Modena (bishop Geminianus) isolated until the Lombards descendinterceded to save the castle from the ed upon Italy around 560 A.D. A route barbaric Totila, and a church was from the land of the Franks to the then named after the saint. The story Christian capital of Rome began to of the two brothers is legend, so it is develop, later to be known as the Via uncertain if they or their castles actu- Francigena. Hamlets that had surally existed. vived the crisis, such as San GimignaMore tangible historic studies show no, prospered as a result of this road that settlements have been in the and the traffic of pilgrims it brought. area since prehistory and the Etrus- Along the Tuscan hills, small churchcan time and that the hill where San es sprang up with the growth of popGimignano stands was probably first ulation. Nineteenth-century scholar

Alex Martello

Luigi Pecori claimed that the church By the 14th century, it had already Florence. Towers fell, and no other of San Gimignano was named af- 13,000 citizens, prospering from ag- architectural trend entered the town. ter the bishop saint of Modena and ricultural activity, such as the suc- After the plague of 1631, the populawas built on the site of a previous cessful growth of saffron, despite tion dwindled to a low of 3,000 inchurch named after Saint Nicholas. conflicts between the town’s two habitants.

The name San Gimignano was given rivaling families—the pro-emperor Eighteenth-century changes in taste to the settlement which developed Ghibellines, and the pro-Pope Guelfs. “rediscovered” the Middle Ages as an around the church, and the Bishop of It was during the 14th century that exciting and mysterious time period.

Volterra built a castle close by to safe- wealthy families built towers to show In 1801, Francesco Fontani included guard the roads and churches. The off their economic might. Shops oc- San Gimignano in his book of plactown below the castle grew and came cupied the ground floor of each tow- es that had noteworthy architecture. under the possession of the Bishop. er; higher up were bedrooms, while Reforms in the 18th century helped to During the High and Late Middle kitchens were on the top floor in case revive the city along with renovations Ages, the town was a way station for of fire. Today, only 13 out of the origi- in the 19th century. Due to the past demonks travelling to Rome and de- nal 72 towers remain. This affluence cline, the town’s medieval aspects reveloped under the ownership of the came crashing down when the popu- main intact, as if preserved in a time Bishop of Volterra. It continued to lation was devastated by the plague capsule. The historic center is full of grow around two main squares and in 1348.

14th- and 15th-century art in their origeventually declared itself a free com- Afterwards, San Gimignano lingered inal setting, including beautiful fresmune in 1199, governed by a Podestà and decayed, eventually submitting cos by Benozzo Gozzoli and Domeni(chief magistrate). political autonomy to the growing co Ghirlandaio.

Gelato World Champion 2006/2007 - 2008/2009

1

°

SAN GIMIGNANO Piazza della Cisterna, 4 - 0577 942 244 - www.gelateriadondoli.com

22

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

SAN GIMIGNANO

San Gimignano Hosts Elliott Erwitt

A Guide to Select Sites of San Gimignano Information Courtesy of the Pro Loco Association of San Gimignano – Tourist Information Office www.sangimignano.com

Exhibit on Display until August 31

San Gimignano’s Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art “Raffaele De Grada” is hosting an art exhibit through August 31 that traces the career and main themes of American photographer Elliott Erwitt. The exhibit showcases 42 photos selected by the artist as most representative of his body of work.

Works on display will include some of his most famous: a heartbroken Jacqueline Kennedy at the funeral of her husband, beautiful Grace Kelly at a ball, portraits of Che Guevara and Marilyn Monroe, and two lovers in the rearview mirror of a car.

The exhibit will also include nine exclusive self-portraits, which will rep-

resent a real “event within the event.”

Elliott Erwitt—a documentary and advertisement photographer—was born in France in 1928, and spent his formative in Italy. His family immigrated to the United States in 1939. During high school, Erwitt began working in a commercial darkroom, starting his professional career when he returned to Italy and France in 1949, travelling and doing photography. When he was drafted in the U.S. Army in 1951, he continued to take photographs for various publications. In 1953, after being decommissioned from the Army, Erwitt was invited to join Magnum photos.

In the 1970s he began directing films—

11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Beauty Knows no Pain (1971) and Red White and Blue Grass (1973)—and in the 1980s produced a number of television shows. In between working for magazines and other advertising clients, the artist creates books and exhibitions on his works, with over 21 books released to date. Today Erwitt remains a leading figure in the competitive field of photography; his art has been featured around the world for the past 40 years. Erwitt has had exhibits at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C., The Museum of Modern Art in Paris, the Spazio Oberdan in Milan, the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid, and many more.

Podesta’s Palace, Tower and Art Collection Piazza Duomo, 2 0577 990 312 Entrance: €5; children between 6 and 17 €5; free entrance to children under 6; combined ticket good for all civic museums €7.50 Daily 11 a.m.- 5:30: after April 1: 9:30 a.m. -7 p.m.

The Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta (Duomo) Piazza del Duomo 0577 940 152; prenotazioni@duomosangimignano. it Entrance: €4; Combined ticket with the Sacred Art Museum: €6 (Apr-Oct) Mon to Fri: 10 a.m-7 p.m.; Sat: 10 a.m - 5 p.m.; Sun/Holidays: 12:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Archeological Museum - Santa Fina Herbarium - Modern and Contemporary Art Gallery Via Folgore, 1 0577 940 526; www.museodellatortura.it April 1: 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m.

Entrance € 3.50; € 2.50 for children between 6 and 17; children under 6 free; combined ticket with all civic museums €7.50

Rocca di Montestaffoli Climb the remains of an ancient fortress turret for stunning views of the area Free (outdoors) Piazza della Cisterna San Gimignano’s medieval water well gives its name to this piazza Free (outdoors) Ancient City Walls Walk along the 13th century walls with 15th century Medicean bastions Free (outdoors) ORNITHOLOGICAL MUSEUM Located inside the church of San Francesco on Via Quercecchio 0577 941 388 info@sangimignano.com After April 1: 11 a.m.-5:30p.m.

Entrance €1.50 CHURCH OF SANT’AGOSTINO Near Porta St. Matteo on Via Cellolese Mon 4 p.m.– 6 p.m.; Tues-Sun 10a.m.-12p.m./3 p.m.-6 p.m.

HOUSE OF ST. FINA Via del Castello FORMER PODESTA’S PALACE and ROGNOSA TOWER Piazza del Duomo

Torture Instruments Museum Porta San Giovanni, 125 0577 942 243; 9:30 am – 7:30 pm Every day Monday- Sunday museosrl@alice.it Entrance: €8; children and students € 5.50; groups €4 daily 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Wine Museum 0577 941 267 Free admission

BAR GELATERIA COMBATTENTI

ENOTECA CORSI

THE BAR STARTED BY A WWI FIGHTER

TYPICAL TUSCAN PRODUCTS

Located just inside Porta San Giovanni, bar and gelateria Caffé Combattenti serves artisan-quality, homemade Tuscan ice-creams and products. The first gelateria established in town, since 1924 the Bar Combattenti offers saffron and lively wine-flavored gelatos next to traditionally prepared bruschetta, pizza, panini, and pasta, as well as Tuscan salami and pecorino cheeses. Also available are classic Tuscan treats such as ricciarelli and cantucci, grappa, extra virgin olive oil, and local truffle products, as well as gluten-free products.

With more than 600 wines including Brunello, Vernaccia, Bolgheri and Chianti, as well as extra virgin olive oil, flavored oil, balsamic vinegar and much more, Enoteca Corsi is an ideal stop for authentic Tuscan products. Enoteca Corsi offers traditional sweets such as panforte, ricciarelli, home-made Cantuccini biscuits and other delicacies such as marmalades, honey, sauces and Tartufi (or Italian truffles). It also has the only DOP saffron in Italy.

Located in V. San Giovanni, Cindarella offers shoes, jackets, socks, belts, bags, scarves, clothing and accessories all rigorously Made in Italy and selected for clients who wish to experience a unique shoppingexperience, as in a fairy tale...

Via San Giovanni (near the door of San Giovanni) San Gimignano 328 06 07 267

Via San Giovanni, 36 San Gimignano 334 397 4862

Via San Giovanni, 124 San Gimignano 0577 940 391 328 06 07 267 barcombattenti@libero.it

KEEP CALM & BUY SHOES “Cindarella is the living proof that a pair of shoes can change your life”

Daily: 9:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.

23

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

SIENA AND SAN GIMIGNANO

‘Vernaccia’ Bike Race Set for May 11 vineyards and olive groves around San Gimignano, visiting farms along San Gimignano will host the Gran the way to taste traditional meats and Fondo della Vernaccia, a long dis- cheeses. Participants will also visit tance bike race which includes three a few wine cellars to sample classic different courses of varying lengths, Tuscan wine. each beginning in the center of the town on Sunday, May 11.

The long course is 161 km, ending in Camporbiano. The medium course is 116 km, ending in Poderi Foci. The short course is 72 km, and also ends in Camporbiano.

The race dates back to 1997, when the first “Gran Fondo” was held with 246 cyclists participating, and is attended each year by more than 1,500 cyclists.

A slow bike ride, departing from Via Giachi and beginning at 9:15 a.m., is offered in addition to the Gran Fondo.

Bikers take a 15 km ride through the

Evi Fuelle

A Guide to Select Sites of Siena Siena’s Cathedral (duomo) Piazza del Duomo, 8; Tel: 0577 286300 Current opening hours (including the Piccolomini Library) Until November 2: 10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Special hours on holy days and the Palio (August 16) Admission €3 (no reductions); if entire pavement of cathedral is uncovered, admission €6 Battistero di San Giovanni (baptistery) Piazza di S. Giovanni, 53100 Siena; Tel: 0577 286300 Opening hours until November 2: 10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Admission €3 (no reductions) Santa Maria Della Scala (museum) Piazza Duomo, 1; Tel: 0577 534511 Open every day: 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Admission €10; reduced €8

Torre del Mangia (tower) Piazza del Campo, 1; Tel: 0577 292342 Until October 5: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Admission €8; Children under age 6 free Combined ticket for Museo Civico and Torre del Mangia €13, sold at Tower Ticket Office Piazza del Campo (square) Piazza Il Campo, 53100 Siena; Tel: 0577 292230 Siena’s principal public space in the historic center of the town, one of Europe’s greatest medieval squares Free (outdoors) Basilica di San Domenico (church) Piazza San Domenico, 53100 Siena; Tel: 0577 286848 Through October: 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Weekday Mass: 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 6:00 p.m.

Feast Day Mass: 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:00 a.m., 6:00 a.m.

Confessions half hour before Mass Il Palio Museums for Siena’s 17

The slow bike ride is free for women while it costs €10 for men, including lunch and a souvenir gift pack.

For more information visit www.granfondodellavernaccia.it

contrade (districts) Azienda Provinciale di Turismo Via di Città 43, Siena; Tel: 0577 42209 Contact two weeks in advance for opening hours The contrade of Siena: Aquila (Eagle), Casato di Sotto Bruco (Caterpillar), Via del Comune 48 Chiocciola (Snail), Via S. Marco 37 Civetta (Owl), Piazzetta del Castellare Drago (Dragon), Piazza Matteotti 19 Giraffa (Giraffe), Via delle Vergine 18 Istrice (Hedgehog), Via Camollia 87 Leocorno (Unicorn), Via di Follonica 15 Lupa (She-Wolf), Via Vallerozzi 71/73 Nicchio (Shell), Via dei Pispini 68 Oca (Goose), Vicolo del Tiratoio 13 Onda (Wave), Via G. Duprè 111 Pantera (Panther), Via S. Quirico Selva (Forest), Piazzetta della Selva Tartuca (Tortoise), Via T. Pendola 21/25 Torre (Tower), Via Salicotto 76 Valdimontone (Ram), Via di

The Contemporary Art Gallery of San Gimignano The Galleria Gagliardi was established in 1991, in a 400-square-meter space once used as a garage and farm machinery store.

Today, the Galleria bears absolutely no resemblance to the original building apart from a section of the floor made up of oak boards, covering a hole which once enabled repairs to the underside of cars and machinery in the absence of a ramp. This work of art was created by the previous owner, Dino Conforti, and has been left in his memory.

Since 1991, the exhibition area of the gallery has been extended and the gallery has now become a cultural reference for the promotion and sale

of contemporary art. Every work is chosen directly from the studios of artists who constantly experiment new solutions through their research, renewing their approach and skills.

The Galleria exhibits ceramic, bronze and marble sculptures; conceptual, abstract and figurative paintings as well as works in steel, iron and wood

by Italian and international artists.

Galleria Gagliardi Via San Giovanni, 57 San Gimignano galleria@galleriagagliaradi.com www.galleriagagliardi.com

GALLERIA GAGLIARDI Arte Contemporanea

SAN GIMIGNANO

Valdimontone 6 OPA SI ALL INCLUSIVE PASS: Access to all museums of the complex of the Cathedral of Siena including: Duomo, Baptistery of San Giovanni, Crypt, Museo dell’Opera, and the Facciatone (city overlook). Cost of pass: €12 until October 31; valid for three days from day of purchase.

Available for purchase at the Duomo or online at www.operaduomo.siena. it. For more information: Tel. +39 0577 286300 or email: opasiena@ operalaboratori.com

Leoncini

Le Torri

BUY AND SHIP YOUR CERAMICS

MADE IN ITALY LEATHER

In the heart of Tuscany, land of masters such as Giotto, Michelangelo and Leonardo, the towers of the old medieval town, San Gimignano, dominate the whole valley. Descendants from one of the most important families of San Gimignano, brothers Luciano and Daniele Leoncini of Ceramica Leoncini, offer the wisdom of the old ceramic masters, the experience of cutlery masters, and competence in crafting ancient, hand-painted decorations reproduced with a genuine Tuscan look, great care, and ability.

The company Le Torri was born for collecting, producing and selling high quality artisanal leather goods exclusively made in Italy leather, something that today is not so easy at it may seem to find.

The three shops are located in Via San Giovanni. Products include bags for women, business bags for men, belts, wallets, as well as other goods and can be purchased both online and in store.

Via S. Giovanni, 60-62 San Gimignano 0577 94 20 86 info@leoncini-italy.com www.leoncini-italy.com

Daily: 9.30 a.m. - 8.30 p.m.

Via San Giovanni, 22-24 Via San Giovanni, 34 Via San Giovanni, 117 San Gimignano 0577 940 851 www.letorrionline.com

24

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

EVENTS 055 21 94 32 Mon. to Sun.: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Closed on Tuesdays, Sundays & public holidays www.museomarinomarini.it

Exhibitions LATE ONE MORNING: LUCA TREVISANI AND DIANE LUND Until May 10 Marino Marini Museum 055 21 94 32 Mon. to Sun.: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Closed on Tuesdays, Sundays & public holidays www.museomarinomarini.it

THE AMAZING SHOEMAKER Fairy tales about shoes and shoemakers Until May 18 Ferragamo Museum 055 33 60 456 / 055 35 62 417 10 a.m.-7:30 p.m. www.museoferragamo.com

LATE ONE MORNING: LOOKING FOR JESUS BY JONATHAS DE ANDRADE May 30 until June 26 Marino Marini Museum 055 21 94 32 Mon. to Sun.: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Closed on Tuesdays, Sundays & public holidays www.museomarinomarini.it BACCIO BANDINELLI Sculptor & Maestro (1493-1560) Until July 7 At Bargello National Museum 055 29 48 83 Mon. to Sun.: 8:15 a.m.-5 p.m.; Closed on the 2nd and 4th Monday of the month www.unannoadarte.it

A JOB AIN’T NOTHIN’ BUT WORK Until May 10 Villa Romana, Via Senese, 68 055 22 16 54 Tues. to Fri.: 2-6 p.m. & by appointment www.villaromana.org ZEFFIRELLI FILISTRUCCHI MEMORIES OF AN ARTISTIC PARTNERSHIP Until May 18 Exhibit Hall - Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze, Via Maurizio Bufalini, 6 055 22 641 Mon. to Fri.: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat., Sun. & Holidays 10 a.m.-1 p.m. /3 p.m.-7 p.m. www.teatrodellapergola.com THE ROOMS OF THE MUSES. BAROQUE PAINTINGS FROM THE FRANCESCO MOLINARI PRADELLI COLLECTION Until May 11 Uffizi Gallery 055 29 48 83 8:15 a.m.-6:50 p.m.

Closed on Monday www.unannoadarte.it

HATS BETWEEN ART AND EXTRAVAGANZA Until May 18 Pitti Palace, Costume Gallery 055 29 48 83 8:15 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Closed on the 1st & the last Monday of each month www.uffizi.firenze.it OPENING OF THE IRIS GARDEN Until May 20 Iris Garden, Piazzale Michelangiolo 29 055 48 31 12 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. / 3-7 p.m. www.irisfirenze.it

ANIMALIA. MEN AND THE CARE FOR THE ANIMALS IN THE MANUSCRIPTS OF THE LAURENTIAN LIBRARY Until June 14 Laurentian Library, Piazza S. Lorenzo, 9 055 21 07 60 Mon. to Sat.: 9:30 a.m.-1:30p.m.

Closed on Sundays www.bmlonline.it

PONTORMO AND ROSSO. DIVERGING PATHS OF MANNERISM Until June 20 Palazzo Strozzi 055 26 45 155 / 055 39 17 11 Tues. to Sun.: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; Closed on Mondays www.palazzostrozzi.org “CHE PURO CIEL! CHE CHIARO SOL!” GLUCK AND ORFEO AND EURIDICE IN FLORENCE May 15 until June 21 Florence National Library, Piazza dei Cavalleggeri, 1 055 24 91 9201 Mon. to Fri.: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. / 3 p.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-1p.m.

Closed on Sundays & Holidays www.bncf.firenze.sbn.it CARMELO BAGLIVO DISEGNI CORSARI May 23 until June 26 Marino Marini Museum 055 21 94 32 Mon. to Sun.: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Closed on Tuesdays, Sundays & public holidays www.museomarinomarini.it GIANLUCA E MASSIMILIANO DE SERIO “RETURN” May 23 until June 26 Marino Marini Museum

JACKSON POLLOCK THE FIGURE OF FURY Until July 27 Palazzo Vecchio & Florence former court 055 2768325 9 a.m.-12 a.m.; Thursday: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Florence former court: Thursday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. www.pollockfirenze.it CORTONA: THE DAWN OF THE ETRUSCAN PRINCES Until July 31 National Archaeological Museum of Florence Piazza SS. Annunziata, 9/b 055 23 57 720 Mon., Sat. and Sun. 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; from Tue. to Fri. 8.30am-7pm www.firenzeturismo.it/en RADICAL WOMANHOOD Pinault Collection Until September 7 Gucci Museum, Piazza Signoria,10 055 75 92 33 02 10 a.m.-8 p.m. www.guccimuseo.com ISLAM. WEAPONS AND ARMOURS FROM THE FREDERICK STIBBERT Until September 11 Stibbert Museum, Via F. Stibbert, 26 055 47 55 20 Mon.-Wed.: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Fri.-Sun.: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Closed on Thursday www.museostibbert.it JACOPO LIGOZZI “UNIVERSAL PAINTER” May 27 until September 28 Pitti Palace, Palatine Gallery 055 23 88 616 / 055 29 48 83 Tues. to Sun.: 8:15 a.m.- 6:50 p.m.

Closed on Monday

SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST’S CART: FROM PONTORMO TO CAPEZZUOLI Until September 30 Palazzo Vecchio 055 27 68 224 9a.m.-12 a.m.; Thursday: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. museicivicifiorentini.comune.fi.it A JOURNEY TO THE EAST. PHOTOGRAPHS FROM AFRICA TO CASA MARTELLI Until October 10 Museum of Casa Martelli 055 29 03 83 Thursday: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Fri. to Sun.: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Closed on the 2nd and 4th Sunday www.polomuseale.firenze.it ART JEWELRY: THE TRADITION IN MODERNITY Until October 10 Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze and Horne Museum, Via Bufalini, 6 055 53 84 001 Mon. to Fri.: 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sat. to Sun: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. / 3 p.m.-7 p.m. www.entecarifirenze.it GIOVANNI COLACICCHI Figures of the rhythm and light in 12th century Florence.

Until October 19 Villa Bardini, Costa San Giorgio, 2 055 20 06 6206 / 055 23 88 616 Tue. to Sun.: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

Closed on Monday www.bardinipeyron.it ART AND POLITICS Until November 2 Museum of Medici Chapels, Piazza Madonna degli Aldobrandini, 6 055 23 88 602 Mon. to Sun.: 8:15 a.m.-4:50 p.m.

Closed on the 2nd and 4th Sunday and 1st, 3rd and 5th Monday of each month. www.polomuseale.firenze.it

BE OP MAY 1 THURSDAY 2 FRIDAY 3 SATURDAY

Markets and Fairs Artigianato & Palazzo Handicraft exhibition and market May 15 Il Prato, 58 ARTour beauty in the square Travelling trade fair of Italian artistic handicraft May 30 Until June 2 Piazza degli Strozzi, 0 Ciompi Monthly Antique fair May 25 Piazza dei Ciompi Fortezza Antiquaria Antique market May 17 and 18 Viale Filippo Strozzi Il Libro in Piazza Second-hand book and comics fair May 11 Piazza degli Strozzi, 0 Lungoungiorno & Fierucola May 11 Via Giano della Bella, 20/1 20/2 May little fair Organic and local hand made products May 18 Piazza Santo Spirito

Max Pub Events Thursday, May 15: Max Collini (Offlaga Disco Pax) & Jukka Reverberi(Giardini di Mirò) “SPARTITI” tour 2014 Saturday, May 17: FONENO (Country Blues) Thursday, May 22: TRUCUPAS (Acustic Rock) Friday, May 23: RICCARDO MORI “La Cattiva Strada” Friday, May 30: BITTER COCKS (Italian Punk) Via Orti Oricellari, 6r • 055 28 19 95

2014

GETTING REACQUAINTED WITH MICHELANGELO Sculpture by Buonarroti in photographs and paintings from the 19th century to the present Until May 18 Accademia Gallery 055 29 08 32 8:15 a.m.-6:50 p.m.

Closed on Monday www.unannoadarte.it

TOSCANA ESCLUSIVA: COURTYARDS AND GARDENS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC IN FLORENCE May 25 055 21 24 52 10 a.m.-1 p.m. / 3 p.m.-7 p.m. www.adsitoscana.it

FAMILY MATTERS Portraits and experiences of family today Until July 20 Strozzina, Palazzo Strozzi 055 26 45 155 / 055 39 17 11 Tues. to Sun.: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Thursday 10 a.m.-11 p.m.; Free Thursdays 6–11 p.m.; Closed on Mondays www.strozzina.org

SACRED SPLENDOUR May 20 until September 28 The Medici Treasury, Piazza Pitti, 1 055 29 48 83 Mon. to Sun.: 8:15 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

Closed on the 1st and the last Monday of each month www.unannoadarte.it

PrimoInRock Kings Of Lion Tribute with Only By The Night COLDPLAY Night with Life In Technicolor

5 6 7 8 9 10

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

NEW KARAOKE AMERICAN NIGHT ! specials+open mic THE BEATLES NIGHT | with The Vox Power BeBop UNPLUGGED Evening Lucy Malone Bros. | 60’s & 70’s Sounds °°°NESSUNO MI PUO’ GIUDICARE PARTY °°° ***LED ZEPPELIN TRIBUTE ***with NORGE ***

12 13 14 15 16 17

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

NEW KARAOKE AMERICAN NIGHT ! specials+open mic THE BEATLES NIGHT | with The Vox Power BARBA BAND | Jack MEILLE + Fede PIRAS The Rolling Johnnys | Rock Out Of The Box 80VOGLIA | BEST DANCE PARTY IN TOWN !

ZYDECO | Irish & British Rock Blues

19 20 21 22 23 24

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

NEW KARAOKE AMERICAN NIGHT ! specials+open mic THE BEATLES NIGHT | with The Vox Power A BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN TRIBUTE By LUCA MIRTI °Sweet Melinda° | STONES+BEATLES+BRITrock THE ROCKNROLL SPRING PARTY ! SPECIAL NIGHT!!

QUEEN TRIBUTE with Queen On Fire

26 27 28 29 30 31

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

NEW KARAOKE AMERICAN NIGHT ! specials+open mic THE BEATLES NIGHT | with The Vox Power BARBA BAND | Jack MEILLE + Fede PIRAS Whoopee Hookers | RockParty ! RockHits !

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS NIGHT with PepperHeads 80’s & 90’s ROCK NIGHT

BEBOP.MUSIC.CLUB@GMAIL.COM | +39 0552398518 | VIA DE SERVI 76/R | 100MT FROM PIAZZA DUOMO

25

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

ENTERTAINMENT

ODEON FIRENZE

May at the Movies

Piazza Strozzi, Firenze 055 214 068 Office: 055 295 051 www.odeonfirenze.com

Tickets: Regular: €7.50; Reduced: €6* *Every Wednesday; students from Mon. to Fri. and selected partnerships.

Club Odeon Classic: €3

NOAH

TRACKS DIRECTOR: John Curran GENRE: Adventure | Biography | Drama STARS: Mia Wasikowska, Adam Driver, Emma Booth, Jessica Tovey, Rainer Bock PLOT: Adaptation of naturalist adventurer Robyn Davidson’s 1977 trek of 2700 km across the Western Australian desert with four camels and a dog.

“Alternately haunting, inspiring and dreamily meditative, this is a visually majestic film of transfixing moods and textures” -Hollywood Reporter

Thanks to the Cannes Film Festival, May in Italy is an important month for new movie releases in theaters. Film lovers will have the possibility to (re)watch two of the most important titles that have just landed in our country. One is the colossal Noah that Darren Aronowsky drew from the first book of the Bible, Genesis.

It evokes the days of the great universal flood, with the gritty Russell Crowe, who gives his portrayal of Noah a gloss of a modern ecological gladiator that decided to save the good of mankind and some of the animals before God unleashes his wrath on a planet polluted by sin.

The other is The Grand Budapest Hotel, directed by the ingenious Texan Wes Anderson and centered on the intertwined historical events of the past century (from the 1930s to the present) and some of the many stories of individuals, revisited across the fantastic adventures of a luxury hotel concierge in an fictional Eastern Eu-

ropean state. For those who love to bet on the impossible, there is more with the Australian Tracks, a commemoration of the insane endeavors accomplished in 1977 by a young woman without any apparent logical motivation, who decides to cross an inhospitable central Australian desert travelling on foot for nine months.

In the company of four camels and one dog, 2,700 kilometers separate the location of Alice Springs from the Indian Ocean. Immortalized in a famous issue of National Geographic, this odyssey at the borders of delirium, which many had already dubbed the female version of Into the Wild, previously attracted Hollywood’s attention, with prior attempts to make this story into a film in the 1980s and more recently with Julia Roberts in the role of the lonely protagonist. The role was given instead to the Australian Mia Wasikowska, whom fans of the small and big screen have to appreciate in films such as Alice in Wonderland but also in TV series such as Treatment.

Now in its fourth year, the WA! Japan Film Festival (formerly the Japanese Film Festival of Florence) reveals fascinating and authentic aspects of Japanese culture through the dissemination of Japanese cinema. Among notable changes

to this edition, the festival takes place in Milan as well as Florence, with the goal of bringing Japanese culture and cinema to an ever-greater audience. The program ranges from works widely-known in Japan to art-house films. The program will also include conferences and food tastings to discover Japanese traditions.

Once again the festival dedicates a moment of reflection to the tragic events of March 2011 in a show of solidarity with the people affected by the disaster. Come and experience the colors and emotions of Japan!

Guido Reverdito

DIRECTOR: Darren Aronofsky GENRE: Action | Adventure | Drama STARS: Russel Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson, Anthony Hopkins PLOT: The end of the world... is just the beginning. Rediscover the epic story of one man and the most remarkable event in our history. The biblical story of the Great Flood and the animals and the Ark. A man is chosen by his world’s creator to undertake a momentous mission to rescue the innocent before an apocalyptic flood cleanses the wicked from the world.

“An arresting piece of filmmaking that has a shot at capturing a large international audience both for its fantasy-style spectacle and its fresh look at an elemental Bible story most often presented as a kiddie yarn.”

-Hollywood Reporter

The Cover Store • • • • • •

Dates/hours: Monday, May 12: 4 – 6:40 p.m.

Tuesday, May 13: 5 p.m.

Wednesday, May 14: 4 – 6:40 – 9:15 p.m.

Dates/hours: Thursday, May 1: 4:30 – 6:45 – 9 p.m.

Friday, May 2: 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 3: 4:30 – 6:45 – 9 p.m.

Sunday, May 4: 4:30 – 6:45 – 9 p.m.

CENTRO LUCE

GRACE OF MOnACO

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL DIRECTOR: Wes Anderson GENRE: Comedy STARS: Ralph Finnes, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux PLOT: The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.

“A marvelous contraption, a wheels-withinwheels thriller that’s pure oxygenated movie play” - Entertainment Weekly Dates/hours: Monday, May 5: 4:45 – 6:45 – 9 p.m.

Tuesday, May 6: 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 7: 4:45 – 6:45 – 9 p.m

DIRECTOR: Olivier Dahan GENRE: Biography | Drama STARS: Nicole Kidman, Tim Roth, André Penvern PLOT: Set in 1962, six years after her celebrated wedding, Grace of Monaco is an intimate snapshot of a year in the life of the iconic Hollywood star turned Princess. She struggles to cope with her newfound role as mother, monarch of a European principality and wife to Prince Rainier III. “The latest look at the film, which has been the subject of a reported tiff between director Olivier Dahan and U.S. distributor The Weinstein Company, shows a sad princess longing to return to acting.”

- Hollywood Reporter Dates/hours: Thursday, May 15: 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Friday, May 16: 4:30 – 6:30 – 8:30 – 10:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 17: 4.30 – 6.30 – 8.30 – 10.30 p.m.

Sunday, May 18: 4:30 – 6:30 – 9 p.m.

Monday, May 19: 4:30 – 6:30 – 9 p.m.

Tuesday, May 20: 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 21: 4:30 – 6:30 – 9 p.m.

• • • • • • • • •

ALL THAT YOU NEED FROM HOME

Adapters Converters Headphones Hair Straighteners Hair Dryers Boilers Kettles Coffee Machines Electricity Emergency Service

Borgo degli Albizi, 91/r 055 24 69 318 centroluce09@gmail.com

All accessories for phones Cables Headphones Memory Cards Chargers Covers

Via Ghibellina, 96/r

THE IRISH PUB IN SAN LORENZO The historic bar offers quality beer, fresh cocktails, sandwiches and snacks amidst a traditional Irish pub atmosphere. The pub also offers various promotions and contests with many exciting prizes. The genuine atmosphere together with the helpful and inviting staff make Dublin Pub an ideal place to spend fun nights in good company or enjoy a beer any time while listening to great background music.

Open daily from 5 p.m.

Via Faenza, 27 055 27 41 571 info@dublinpub.it www.dublinpub.it

26

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

MUSIC

Porto di Mare – Eskimo Bridging cultures through live music at the club where all musicians meet

Ivana Scatola As with any port, Porto di Mare – Eskimo is synonymous with exchange, correspondence, and coming and going. Anyone is welcomed through the doors of this club, which also hosts a pizzeria and cafè.

Its focus on live music and cultural exchange is one that the man who started the club, Francesco Cofone, holds close to his heart: “We never play anything recorded here,” he says with a smile. The method of bridging cultures at Porto di Mare is just getting out an instrument and beginning to play. “I’d be keen to talk to anyone who is interested in playing and sharing their music with us,” Francesco says.

The club has also created its own big band, the Eskimo Jazz Orchestra. An

all-star Tuscan jazz band born under the initiative of Francesco, it includes some of the biggest and respected names on the jazz scene amongst its members. These include trumpeter and band conductor Fabio Morgera, who played under legendary American jazz cornetist, composer and conductor Butch Morris for 30 years in New York; Dario Cecchini, sax and leader of Italian marching band Funk Off; trumpeter Luca Marianini; trombone player Stefano Scalzi and guitarist Riccardo Onori, who both played alongside renowned Italian singer-songwriter and rapper Jovanotti; percussionists Walter Paoli, ex-member of 1970s Italian jazz, progressive rock and electronic group Area, and Piero Borri; clarinet player Nico Gori; and guitarists Paolo Conte, Ivano Fossati and Riccardo Galardini

– to name just (a little more than) a few.

The band’s genre has evolved from classical music to a looser, improvised style: “Morris’s idea was to dissolve any sort of ‘formation’ in the orchestra, and for this reason, conducting isn’t undertaken in one style but acts more like a tool for endless different styles,” Fabio Morgera explains. “I conduct a group of musicians but they have complete freedom of the choice of notes; it’s an exchange between us.

There’s no rigid music score to follow … In this way, it’s possible to create music together that has an organic quality.”

The band performs live at the venue every month, and has already had many requests from specialized magazines to festival directors.

Porto di Mare – Eskimo therefore not

only offers locals and outsiders the opportunity to immerse themselves in and contribute to the local music scene, but also to witness the emergence of Florence as host to a new style of jazz.

Contact Francesco Porto di Mare – Eskimo Via Pisana, 128 055 71 20 34 portodimareeskimo@gmail.com

Weekly Live Music Calendar Tuesday: Jazz Open Mic & Workshop Wednesday: Bog & Kate Live (Ft. Guests) Thursday: Rock Night Friday: Italian Southen Music Live Saturday: Francesco Cofone (Ft. Guests) Sunday: Folk, Rock & Blues

Eskimo: the club for traditional Italian music Born from the fusion of two former jazz venues, This is indeed the place where Italian songwritEskimo and Jazz Club, Eskimo is a club-cafè ers typically perform in a very relaxed and welthat during the day is lived as a bookstore – the coming atmosphere, which is not always easy perfect place to find second-hand books – as to find in the foreign-dominated venues of Florwell as a library where people meet to hang out ence’s city center. in the afternoon.

Manager Sara Bonomo hopes that Eskimo will At night, the club becomes the stage where become “a theatrical workshop and a venue young Italian musician perform, often jamming open to other types of arts, not just music – and together. The traditional Italian music that is focusing on bringing together a foreign audiplayed in this club ranges from songwriters to ence, tourists, apericena [aperitivo dinner] and typical musical expressions from southern Italy jazz.” such as the tarantella and others. Occasionally In the small stage of this club some of the most live jazz is played too. famous Italian singers and musicians have apEskimo is the perfect club where non-Italian peared when looking for a more intimate apmusicians or non-Italian music aficionados can proach with the public, far from the sports hall meet their Italian counterpart. It gives artists where they usually perform. This is why Eskimo from all over the world the opportunity to take is not just a bar but rather an ‘atmosphere’ perthe stage in a familiar environment, where they fect to chill out in, far from the formality of the can blend ideas and showcase their talents. city center’s nightlife.

VINTAGE VINYL & NEW RELEASES

Tucked away on Via de’ Neri, Data Records 93 is a the perfect spot for music aficionados and those looking for a different take on current music or a nostalgic throwback to decades past. Born in 1977 as Contempo Records, it holds a vast collection of music, from new releases to rare pressings, and even includes recent releases on vinyl.

Data Records 93’s eclectic and valuable collection regularly attracts international DJs and it also ships all over the world.

Mon–Sat: 10:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m; Sunday: 3:30–7:30 p.m.

Via de’ Neri, 15/r (near Santa Croce) 055 287 592 www.superecords.com

Spanish Restaurant Mexican Grill Latin Disco Bar Tues.: Latin Disco Wed.: Salsa lessons & live music with Mambo Kids Latin band Thurs.: International Student Night Fri. & Sat.: Latin Disco Bar

Via Ghibellina, 80/r 055 23 45 452 www.salamanca.it

28

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

LEISURE

Discover the Adventure Park for Kids and Adults

Reachable in 15 minutes with Bus 25 from Piazza San Marco If you thought art was all Florence had to offer, think again. A fantastic opportunity to get you and your children out in the fresh air is a day at an adventure park.

Just outside Florence in Pratolino is Tuscany’s largest forest adventure park, Il Gigante. Taking you high up into the trees to climb, jump, and slide along zip-wires, the park has more than 10 rope courses at six different difficulty levels, based on age and height, with the training and assistance of expert instructors. And it’s not just for adults! The hardest black-ropes course is 15 meters above the ground, but there are also many courses suitable for kids aged 3 years

and up.

It’s the perfect location for all kinds of celebrations, such as birthday parties, with discounts available for school groups and scouts/summer camp groups. The trails, meadows, and picnic areas also offer a great place to escape from the city and have fun in nature. Located in the woods of Poggio la Garena of Pratolino, just across from the Medici Villa Demidoff, the adventure park is reachable by ATAF bus 25-A from the Piazza San Marco stop ‘La Pira’, or by SITA bus 306 from the train station.

Those who fear heights or simply don’t wish to climb can enter for free and relax at the corner bar.

Opening Hours: May to September Tuesday to Sunday: 10 a.m.– sunset Rest of the season Saturday, Sunday and festival days: 10 a.m.– sunset Closed December to February The park can be booked outside of these hours for groups of minimum 10 people.

Via Fiorentina, 276–5036

www.parcoavventurailgigante.it

HITO

HAMBURGERS AND AWARD-WINNING ARTISAN BEER Mostodolce craft brewery was the first of its kind to open in Prato and now supplies twin pubs in Prato and Florence with its award-winning artisan beer. From pitchblack stout to honey beer and a seasonal Christmas variety made from chestnuts, Mostodolce’s range appeals to the most earthy and subtle of palates. Match your choice with complementary dishes created in the pub kitchen: from the hefty flavours of smoked ribs and tortelloni with wild boar ragout to light snacks and the intriguingly named ‘birramisu’.

Open Daily: 11–2 a.m.

Via Nazionale, 114/r (near the train station) 055 23 02 928 www.mostodolce.it

• Power Yoga for beginners to advanced students offered daily.

• Power Yoga trained instructors • All classes only 60 mins • Fun music and atmosphere • Community philosophy which encourages and promotes health and wellness for everyone!

• Located in the beautiful santo spirito area • Check out our studio and web site!

Via dei Serragli, 102/r www.europapoweryoga.com

• • • • • • • • • • •

BEAUTY, massage & SPA TREATMENT Natural aesthetics Tanning salon Complete treatments for face and body Cellulite firming Lymphatic drainage Permanent hair removal Waxing Pedicure Makeup Radio frequency treatment Spa jet

Monday to Saturday: 9:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Via de’ Ginori, 21 055 28 44 24 esteticahito@hotmail.com

THE BAR YOUR MOM WARNED YOU ABOUT The newly reopened Jack is ready to rock ‘n’ roll! Come by for lunch or dinner and try the revamped menu featuring traditional Italian food and American staples.

Enjoy live music, DJ sets and the costume parties that Jack has become famous for, as well as two HD screens showcasing special sporting events. If all that Italian espresso just isn’t hitting the mark, drop

by One-Eyed Jack’s to enjoy American coffee with a free refill between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Free wifi is also available.

Open Daily: 11–2 a.m.

Piazza Nazario Sauro, 2/r 055 09 44 561 www.thejackpub.com

29

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 No. 7

SPORT

In Memory of Ayrton

Dylan Nikoletopoulos May 1 marks a historic date in the realm of Formula One racing. Ayrton Senna da Silva was 34 years old when we was killed 20 years ago in a tragic crash on May 1, 1994, while leading the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. Although there have been other crashes and fatalities in the racing, his death is the most recent driver fatality in Formula One and has left a mark on the history of the sport.

Senna was Brazilian and started racing from a young age. In 1983 he won the British Formula 3 championship and moved to Formula One the following season. From 1984-87 Senna won six Grand Prix’s and hand many other close finishes. However his success truly began when he moved from constructor Lotus-Renault to McLaren-Honda. The other driver for McLaren-Honda at the time was Alain Prost, a well-respected French racer.

The team became a strong force in the world of racing as they won all but 15 Grand Prix’s in 1988. Senna earned his first world championship that

Jogging in Florence’s Fiorentina Home Beautiful, Less-Polluted Zones Game Schedule

Jogging in a crowded city with insufficient sidewalk space can be frustrating, not to mention dangerous.

Luckily, Florence offers some beautiful scenic routes for those who plan to start jogging as the weather turns nice.

To avoid pollution, run along the Arno River, but to also avoid pedestrian and vehicular traffic, run along the bank of the river and not in the street.

The bank of the river is easily accessed from Lungarno Cellini. Cascine Park, great for running on a grassy field or along the riverbank, is large enough to get in a full workout while explor-

year and two more in 1990 and 1991.

In 1993 Senna finished runner-up and moved from McLaren-Honda constructor to Williams.

The season did not start or end well.

Senna did not finish the first two races of the season. Entering the third race the San Marino Grand Prix, which was being held at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit located in Imola, Italy, Senna was looking to finally start the season on a good note.

On lap 7, Senna’s car left the track and ran into the concrete wall at a speed of 145mph. Senna suffered from fatal skull fractures, brain injuries, and a ruptured temporal artery and was declared dead hours later.

Still today Silva has been voted as one of the best drivers ever. He is famous for his wet weather driving abilities and holds the record for most victories at ever at the Monaco Grand Prix, at six.

Ayrton Senna’s death continues to be remembered every year as Formula One continues to grow every year and a continuous effort is made to improve the safety of the sport for all.

ing the entirety of the park. The Viale Michelangelo, which starts just south of Piazza Ferrucci and winds through tree-lined neighborhoods up to the Piazzale Michelangelo, has wide sidewalks and stunning views.

Another scenic option is Boboli Gardens, and although you have to pay to enter, you will see beautiful views of the city. The gardens are full of pathways and hills for those looking for a challenge. Jogging in Florence, if you choose the right route, rewards runners with picturesque scenery while getting to know neighborhoods outside of the main city center.

Gonzaga Wins Fiorenza International School Cup Dylan Nikoletopoulos Gonzaga’s top team won the 18th annual Fiorenza International School Cup Tournament that concluded on April 9, after three days of playoffs and over 15 teams competing throughout the season.

Gonzaga was the number one seed entering the playoffs. At 9-0 Gonzaga 1 sat comfortably at the top of their division with 27 points, the maximum amount of points possible and the most out of any team in the entire tournament. Gonzaga also found no trouble in the post season as they defeated teams 18-2 and 5-1 to reach the final match. By the end of the tournament, no other team stood a chance as Gonzaga finish the season with a perfect record and 1st place in the tournament.

This year the Fiorenza International School Cup celebrated its 18th birthday and has evolved to be a very

popular event for athletes studying abroad in Florence. The tournament was first organized by Fiorenza FC (an amateur soccer club) in 1989.

The first year of the tournament there were only four schools competing and the games were played outside of town.

The Lion’s Fountain Irish Pub was the original sponsor and organizer when the tournament first start and was a way of showing collaboration between the local community and the American students studying abroad in Florence. Today the tournament has grown to include nearly 20 teams and two additional sponsors: Uncle Jimmy’s Irish Pub and Clubhouse Pizzeria Restaurant.

Other awards were also presented to the most valuable play (male and female) as well as most valuable coach.

This tournament was more than successful and will look to continue its traditions into the future semesters.

May 3: 8:45 p.m.

Fiorentina vs. Napoli Italian Cup final Away May 6: 7 p.m.

Fiorentina vs. Sassuolo Series A Home May 11: 3 p.m.

Fiorentina vs. Livorno Series A Away May 18: 8:45 p.m.

Fiorentina vs. Torino Series A Home Tickets can be bought through When in Florence, online at it.violachannel.tv, at the stadium and at Fiorentina Point on Viale Manfredo Fanti 85/A.

Get your Fiorentina shirt with a 15% discount when you show this paper at the FLORENCE CURIOSITY SHOP next to Pizzeria O’Vesuvio in Via De’ Cimatori, 23/r.

NAIMA

NEW GYM NEAR Santa Maria Novella Brand new gym in the heart of Florence is now open.

• Fully outfitted with the latest cardio & strength equipment from Technogym • Offering a wide array of classes ranging from Zumba to Pilates, every week • All-inclusive memberships with no sign-up fees • Special pricing for students • Friendly English-speaking staff • Free wi-fi

Mon. to Fri.: 8 a.m.-10 p.m, Saturday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m, Sunday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Via dei Fossi, 56/r 055 23 96 497

Yoga & Pilates in the heart of Florence • Power Yoga • Ashtanga Yoga • Hatha Yoga 19r offers great workshops as well as destination retreats. Great student rates daily classes as well as Teacher Training.

See you on the mat!

Love and Light, Melissa and 19r

Free first trial Via dei Bardi, 19/r 339 19 70 902 19ryogapilates.com info@ 19ryogapilates.com

Traditional Irish Pub near San Marco Finnegan Irish Pub is the only Irish-owned pub in Florence and hosts live music every weekend, regular quiz nights and student discounts on Tuesdays. Patrons can enjoy outdoor seating nine months of the year, while sports fans are spoilt for choice with dedicated coverage of English and Scottish premiership football, Irish and English internationals, as well as rugby, Formula One and American football. Friendly expat staff ensure a warm and relaxed atmosphere in which to gather, sip Guinness and “have the craic.”

Mon. to Fri.: 4 p.m.–1 a.m.

Sat. to Sun.: 1 p.m.–1 a.m.

Via San Gallo, 123/r 055 49 07 94 www.finneganpub.com

LIVE SPORT MON.: SPONSORED

BY BUS2ALPS

THU.: LADIES’ NIGHT

HAPPY HOUR TILL 11 P.M. Via dell'Anguillara, 54/r

347 19 41 013

sergiosalvifirenze@gmail.com

30

Florence News & Events MAY 2014 NO. 7

TRAVEL

Limoncello, Sun, and Black Sand Beaches

Visiting the Amalfi Coast with Bus2alps The Amalfi coast can be a short vacation in true Mediterranean style, relaxing and quietly getting away aboard a private boat for a tour of the island of Capri.

This is what you can experience in the trip to the Amalfi coast that Bus2Alps offers. And May and June is definitely the best period for a visit to southern Italy, before the summer heat begins to hit.

Then you will see the ruins of Pompeii and you will be able to immerse yourself in history with the help of private guides, who will show you one of the most well-preserved cities of ancient times. Afterwards, treat yourself to a mouth-watering marriage of mozzarella and tomatoes by trying a ‘margherita’ in Naples, the

birthplace of pizza. Only the Bus2alps rento. tour includes a ferry to Capri with a As you roll past the Mt. Vesuvius private boat tour of the island, as well looming over the countryside, whilst as transportation to Positano and keeping a watchful eye on this heavPompeii. en, you are The Amalfi Coast greeted This trip was awarded instant and with is the pinnacle dra2nd Best Tour of pinnacles matic views of for those looktraditional cities Worldwide and is the ing for extravbuilt into sloping two time winner of agant beauty cliffs. met with a laidA short ferry ride Best Tour in Europe by connects you to back beach attitude. Celebrities, TourRadar in 2012 and the wondrous weekend jetsetisland of Capri, 2013. ters, and college home to many students looking an ancient myth, for an amazing time all congregate to the world famous Blue Grotto, and the picturesque island of Capri and enough Limoncello to make your legs seaside towns of Positano and Sor- wobble as you stand at the peak of Mt.

Solaro. A private boat tour around the island is a must.

If you want to check out the best known European beach bods and notorious Italian speedos, then a trip to the seaside town of Positano will leave you satisfied.

As a short ride from Sant’Agnello and Sorrento, Positano is situated on a stepped cliff face on the winding Amalfi Coast. Multi-colored buildings are built into the side of the mountain, cascading down to the smoking hot, black sand beaches. People watching on the beach is fun, but there is plenty more to do.

This trip was awarded 2nd Best Tour Worldwide and is the two time winner of Best Tour in Europe by TourRadar in 2012 and 2013.

• • • •

• • • • •

Round trip luxury coach transport (with A/C, DVD, & bathroom) Accommodation with your friends at top rated hostels Breakfast Private ferry to island of Capri with a private guided boat tour of the island (with a stop at the Blue Grotto) Private transfer to Positano Private transport to Pompeii Exclusive Bus2alps discounts everywhere A Bus2alps trip leader The Amalfi Coast Bus2alps destination guide